Say Cheese 2
by Rain711
Summary: Alternate ending to Say Cheese. The first chapter is the same as Say Cheese [till part 9] If you've read that one continue to Chapter 2 [updates Finished]
1. Default Chapter

**[Attention!!]:**  
I was quite upset when I wrote the ending for Say Cheese (1.0). Even I don't like the ending, so I came up with a new ending…   
The first chapter is the same as Say Cheese 1.0 [till the part where Sam talked with Nicole] -   
If you've read that one continue to Chapter 2 

**[ Note] : **  
Excuse the English cause it's not my first language so if there are mistakes please forgive me… 

I have this insane obsession with Nicole Julian so this fic is focused on her but I am also Brooke/Sam shipper, so that's in also... 

Back in college in my class there were this three girls that we absolutely hate. They were not cheerleaders,   
they're not even blondes but they sure think they are 'supermodels' – anyway if _Kennedy High_ had **'GLAMAZONS'**,   
_MUiT_ had **'POWER PUFF GIRLS'**… hehehe… we even had a **JOHNNY BRAVO** who fit the cartoon character down to a tee…   
Oh yeah, one of the girls actually had Mary Cherry's mental state! 

**[ Disclaimer] : **  
Everything you recognize belongs to whoever owns the Popular- TV Series. Anything else you might recognize, I must have picked   
them up from watching too much TV 

**[ Warning] :**

Contains slash elements. So, if you're uncomfortable with it or it's illegal for you to read about it, then I suggest you read   
something else. Though what I have written is not explicit, I do not want to offend anyone 

This is my first fic on Popular - TV Series. Since in my country, it had only been shown recently and only in the first season,   
I hadn't had all the characters entirely down yet. Full of loopholes so bear with me...

**[ Feedback] : **  


Yes, please... 

* * *

Say Cheese

* * *

"KENNEDY HIGH" 

Dean stared at the sign looming above her. She took a deep sigh and stepped into the hallway. In front of her, students were scurrying here and there, heading to their respective classes. She glanced down at the note in her hand. 'Principal Cecilia Hall – Main Office'. 

"Great… where the hell is the main office?" 

She scanned her surroundings and saw a small group of students crowding a locker, chatting merrily. They looked friendly enough, she decided as she headed towards them. 

"Excuse me…" 

Sam turned to find an unfamiliar figure standing behind her. For a moment she thought it was a guy but then, she realized it was a girl, a butch looking girl with short dark hair and black leather jacket. But the smile was warm and friendly. Even a tad shy… 

"Hi…" the girl said. "I'm kinda lost… Can you please point me the way to the main office…?" 

"Yeah, just go straight down the hall and turn left…" 

"Do you know how many cows had to die to make that jacket?" Lily piped up, eyeing the jacket. 

An eyebrow arched up. 

"Lily!" Carmen exclaimed sounding horrified. 

"What? She's practically a walking cowhide!" 

Dean fought the urge to laugh. "If you excuse me…" she said instead. "I'd like to go to see the Principal before class starts… Thanks for the direction…" 

The group watched as the new girl started to walk away but suddenly, she stopped and turned to Lily. 

"By the way, Miss WWF… FYI – This is faux leather…" 

Then she winked and walked away. 

Lily was turning bright red. "Oh, my…" 

"Lily! Are you blushing?" Carmen asked. 

"What…?" Lily protested. "Nobody ever called me that before…" 

"Is that all the reason?" 

Dean stood at the front of the bored looking class as the teacher read her admission slip. 

"Class…" she said at last. "Looks like we have a new student here… A transfer student from LA... De-anna McLeod…" 

"Actually that's Dean-na McLeod…" 

Snickers can be heard from the class. 

"I see… Well, you can just sit anywhere you want…" 

Dean could feel the eyes on her back as she made her way to an empty seat near the window. _Stare all you want… Like I give a shit what you think…_

"Hey…" 

She turned to find the brunette whom had showed her the direction earlier. 

"Hey…" 

Sam smiled. "I'm Sam… Welcome to Kennedy High…" she extended her hand. 

"Dean… Nice to meet you…" Dean smiled. 

"Same here…" 

Sam knocked lightly on Mr. Grant's door and pushed the door open. She stepped inside but then hesitated when she saw Mr. Grant was talking to a student. 

"Oh, sorry for interrupting…" 

Mr. Grant looked up. "No, no…" he said gesturing for her to come in. "Come on in Sam. There's someone I'd like you to meet…" 

The student in the in the chair in front of Mr. Grant's desk stood up and turned. Sam smiled in recognition. "Dean?" 

"Oh, you two already know each other?" Mr. Grant asked. 

"We share a couple of classes…" Dean said, grinning. 

"I see… Then, you'd have no problem with working together then…" 

"Working together?" Sam asked. 

"I just offered myself as the paper's photographer…" 

Dean scanned the cafeteria with its rows of tables. Most of them were filled with young men and women, some were staring at their tray as if a huge glob monster are going to jump out from the watery scrambled egg and some were actually eating the said stuff. Most however, were chatting happily away. 

She herself was seated at a table where the occupants were chatting merrily. Though half of what they were saying doesn't make any sense to her but at least she's not feeling left out and she has Sam to thank. She had introduced her to her friends. 

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of a table not far from them where four girls in cheerleader outfits were sitting. Something about the way they were staring in the direction of her table disturbed her. 

"Is it me or that group of cheerleaders is looking like they're ready to pounce on our table?" 

"Nope, they're really ready to pounce…" Sam answered without even looking up. 

Dean frowned. "You guys have a war going on…?" 

"Only Sam…" Harrison, the only male occupant at the table answered. 

Dean cocked up an eyebrow. 

"See the tall blonde one?" Sam asked. 

Dean spotted the said blonde. Beautiful… she noted. "The anorexic one?" 

"Dean!" Sam practically shrieked. "She's not anorexic…" she added lowering her voice as if she had caught herself short. 

"She sure could use some meat on her bones…" Dean said. "Hell, maybe it's just me… I like women to be a bit meatier…" 

As soon as she made that comment, Dean could feel the questioning eyes on her. She shrugs. "So, I'm a KD Lang fan… Any problem with that?" 

"No…" Sam was quick to answer. "No, we don't have any problem with that… Do we guys?" she looked around the table. Three heads shook from side to side. 

"Good…" Dean said. "Cause I really like you guys and it'll be a shame if we can't hang out just cause I'm gay…" 

"How does it feel to be with a woman?" 

All heads turned to Harrison. 

"That didn't come out right…" he said. "What I meant was, you're a girl and you're also dating a girl… And my bet is that you sleep with girls too…" 

The boy practically turned blue. 

"Okie-dokie…" Dean interjected. "I get the point…" 

"don't tell us that you've got that threesome thingy fetish too, Harrison…" Lily said. 

"I don't understand why male fantasies so often seems to center around two women when you guys are so often inadequate even with one! I can't imagine anything less attractive than going to bed with two gay men…" Carmen said. 

"Well, that's a mouthful…" 

"Sorry..."Carmen murmured. 

"Anyways, what's with skin and bones over there and you Sam?" Dean asked. 

"She's my future stepsister…" She replied between clenched teeth. 

"Ouch…" Dean grimaced. 

"Not to mention Sam's obsession with bringing the Glamazons down and dragging them face first in the mud…" 

"Right with their perfect Prada shoes and even more perfect Donna Karan outfits…" 

Dean picked up her camera and focused towards the 'Glamazon' table. Interesting, she thought. One of the girls noticed the camera and began posing voluntarily. But the lens was not focused on the longhaired blonde. But rather on the shorthaired one who was glaring into the camera. And the corner of Dean's lips curled into a small smile. 

"What the hell are you doing Mary Cherry?" Nicole snapped. 

"Having my picture taken…" Mary Cherry answered 

She then proceeded to pout her lips in a look that was supposedly to be sexy but it only made Nicole wanted to bonk her head with her tray. _She's rich… She's rich… _Nicole repeated to herself silently. She then took a deep breath and turned her attention to her best friend. 

"So, Brooke… How are things at home? Spam giving you shit again?" 

"No…" Brooke shook her head. "She's pretty much ignoring me… Which is fine by me…" she said as she pushed her peas around her plate. 

"Then, why do you look like you're about to pass kidney stone?" 

"I do not…" Brooke said finally looking up. 

"Yes, you do…" 

Brooke shrugs. "I don't know, Nic…" 

"you're still hung up about Josh?" Nicole asked. 

"No… It has nothing to do with Josh…" 

"PMS?" 

"Yeah, I guess that it…" 

Nicole knew her friend was hiding something but she did not want to push her further. Knowing Brooke, sooner or later she'll tell… _Jeez, is that camera still aimed this way? That is really annoying._

"Hey! Stop aiming that thing here!" 

The camera lowered and Nicole found herself staring into pair of dark brown eyes. The owner of the eyes was regarding her with a lazy grin that shot tingles down her spine. 

"Sorry…" the lips moved. Then, it was gone. The eyes and the lips had turned back to listen to what Spam Mc 'Bitch' Pherson was saying. Nicole felt like picking up her fork and jamming it right between her eyes. _Nicole Julian, for god sakes! That's a girl! Albeit a cute one but still, a girl!_

********************* 

Her body jerked with abandon as the tongue traced a ring of fire around her breast. A hand came up, wrapping itself possessively around her breast, the thumb flicking against her nipple, against its rosy peak till she moaned with pleasure. 

Her body was alive, every curve crying out for fulfillment. The desire to be satisfied was overwhelming and she felt her body move rhythmically against her lover, she could feel herself sinking into the depths of desire and she called out… 

"Brooke…!" Sam's eyes flew open. She found herself staring at the ceiling of her bedroom. She was covered with beads of sweat and panting for breath. The remnants of the dream lingers. 

"Oh, god…" 

"Sam! Get up! Or you'll be late for school!" 

Sam had barely made her way into the kitchen when Brooke came out of the kitchen and ran smack into her. 

"Oh, sorry…" She mumbled and without even glancing, she continued to the door and disappeared. A few seconds after that, a car could be heard roaring away. 

"Morning…" 

"Oh, good morning honey…" Jan greeted her daughter giddily. "You got up late today… Did you stay up late writing for an article…? Did you sleep well?" 

_What the hell is she so happy about? Oh, god! Don't tell me she heard me? Shit...Shit…_Thousands of thought began to cramp into Sam's head. But then, she spotted Mike grinning… Like a clam… And goose bumps spread right up her neck…_ Jeez…these two are at it like rabbits!_

"Did you have a pleasant dream?" her mother was saying. 

"Uuhh… Yeah…" Sam managed to mumble. _If you knew what I was dreaming about and with whom, it'll give you a heart attack!_

"I think I better get to school…" 

"What? You haven't had your breakfast yet…" Jane said. 

_Seeing Mike's sated grin had basically ruined my appetite for the rest of the week…_ Sam was tempted to say but she just shook her head. "It's okay mom… I'll grab something on the way… I'm already late…Bye…" And with that she was off like a shot. 

"McLeod!" 

Dean's head snapped up. "Yes Ma'am? Sir?" she asked as Glass stood hands akimbo at the front of the class. 

"If you can tear your attention from Miss Julian's butt for a moment…" 

All heads snapped back to Dean's table at the back of the class, including Nicole who turned into a series of interesting shades of red. 

"Perhaps you could explain to the class the mechanics of how the eyes works?" Glass was saying. 

Dean smiled completely unperturbed. "Well…" she started. "Rays of light pass through the transparent cornea at the front of the eye. The lens then focuses them onto the retina – that's the region packed with light sensitive cells called rods and cones. A chemical change triggers the cells to send impulses through the optic nerve to the brain. The entire process takes about… uh… I dunno… Two thousandth of a second…" 

Glass looked really impressed. "Finally, a student who actually answers my question with an answer…" she said. "Good, McLeod… You have my permission to go back to staring at Miss Julian's butt…" 

Nicole was irritated beyond measure. As soon as Glass turned her back to the class, she turned to the table behind her. "I don't appreciate having my butt stared at and especially not by a dyke like you!" 

_Dammit! There's that smile again, _Nicole fumes. A lopsided grin with a tiny dimple on the left cheek. The face belonged to a fallen angel. Dark, brown twinkling eyes, high cheekbones, and mouth shaped in erotic brooding lines. Her hair tumbles over her forehead in casual layers obviously from running her fingers in it constantly. 

"FYI – I only stared at your butt for the first 15 minutes… After that, I fell asleep…" 

Nicole seriously felt like causing bodily harm at the grinning face but instead, she just huffed and turned around again, forcing herself to concentrate on what Glass was saying. She could hear Spam giggling. Great! Now, Spam would have a hell of a time coming up with damning news about her. Brooke looked over her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic smile. 

"God, Dean!" Sam said as they made their way out of the lab. "Did you really stare at Satan's butt?" 

"Satan?" 

"That's Sam's nickname for Nicole…" Carmen explained. 

"Oh…" Dean said. "I see…" 

"Did you?' 

Dean smiled sheepishly. "Yeah… Can't help myself…" she said. "That girl got a really serious set of spotlight and bumpers…" 

"Huh?" 

"Spotlight…" Dean said pointing to Sam's breast. "Bumpers…" points to Lily's derrière who happens to be walking in front of her. "It's a code my brother always use whenever he wants to discuss about girls in front of my parents…" 

Sam burst into a fit of laughter that she had to support herself against Dean's arms. She was virtually hanging on Dean for dear life that she had to stop walking and held Sam in place before she slides onto the floor. The others just shook their heads. 

Brooke watched all this from a distance and she felt a tug of pain in her chest. She looked so beautiful when she laugh, with her hair all strewn about her face. The laughter itself, a rich, wonderful sound… Brooke fought back tears from slipping out as she watched Dean wrap her arm around Sam's waist in the attempt to control her and then, clamping her mouth shut with her hand to muffle the mirth as she guided her out of the hallway. How she wish she was the one holding her… 

"I am so gonna kill that bitch…" Nicole said furiously. "I swear I'm gonna kill her…" She slammed her locker door shut as if imagining the said bitch's head was between them. 

"I think you should take that as a compliment, Nicky…" Mary Cherry said. "I mean your butt must be good enough for even a woman to want to stare at it…" 

"I don't want a dyke staring at my butt, Mary Cherry!" Nicole hissed. 

"Just let it go, Nic…" Brooke said wearily. 

"What do you mean let it go?" Nicole snapped. "She was staring at my butt! Of all people, a dyke!" she said. "I mean, I can accept if it was a boy, hell even Emory but McLeod? The dyke from Hellmount LA?" 

"Actually Hellmount is on Sunnydale…" Mary Cherry said. 

Hearing Mary Cherry's divine intervention just about drove Nicole up the wall. She stormed off towards the Novak. 

*************************

Brooke heard the car being parked and the sound of footsteps coming up to the house. Then she heard the front door open. She got up from the couch in the living room. 

"Sam…" 

Sam jumped a good few feet upon hearing the voice. She hadn't expected anyone would be at home much less finding Brooke there. "Jeez, Brooke… What are you trying to do to me? Scare me to death?" 

"I'm sorry…"Brooke said quietly. 

_Well, that's different…_ Sam frowned. "Is something wrong Brooke?" she asked. 

"Can I talk to you?" Brooke asked. 

"Sure… What's up?" 

"The new girl… Deanna… Are the two of you close?" Brooke struggled to keep the jealousy out of her voice. 

_God, she looked so cute tilting her head like that…_ "Ermm, Yeah… pretty much…Why?" Sam asked. 

"Nothing…" Brooke said feeling yet again the stab of pain. "Just… About Nicole… She's pretty upset with what happened earlier in Bio Lab… And I was wondering if you could talk to Deanna and tell her not to do that again…" 

Sam had to swallow another attack of the mirth as she remembered what Dean had compared Nicole's assets to. "I'll see what I can do…" 

Brooke nodded. "Okay, thanks…" 

Sam watched her as she sat down again. _What the hell is going on with her?_ She had been acting weird lately. Flustering and fidgeting. What's more disturbing, she only gets like that whenever they were left alone. 

It bothers her. A lot – and for the love of God, she had to fight every fiber in her body not to just go up to Brooke, gathers her in her arms, demolishing whatever demons haunting the love of her life. 

It took her awhile to accept that fact. What started out as eternal hate had turned into affection and before long developed into a full-blown crush. She didn't even know how or why or when but she did and she ached for her. 

Brooke stared blankly at the TV set not really caring about what was on. She heard Sam moved and thought she had went upstairs. But suddenly, she was standing in front of her. It took all effort for her not to look up and gaze into the piercing brown eyes. 

"You okay?" Sam asked bending at the waist so that their eyes were leveled. "You don't look to good…" _Oh, god this was a bad move…_ Sam thought as the all too familiar feeling started to creep up her spine. Her knees were threatening to buckle as she stared into Brooke's eyes. 

"Yeah…" Brooke flustered, aware and alarmed at the closeness between them .Her face was just inches away from hers and if she just lean forward a bit, she could kiss her. "I must be getting down with something… There must be a bug going around…" 

"Hmm…" Sam quickly straightened up before she could do anything stupid. "You want aspirins or something?" 

"No… no…I'm okay…" 

"Okay…" Sam said and she headed to the stairs. 

"Sam…" 

She turned. 

"I…"Brooke looked as if she wanted to say something but then changed her mind. "Thanks for asking…" 

********************* 

"Fucking… stupid phone…" 

Nicole threw her mobile phone against the passenger seat. She cursed even more as she climbed out of the car and kicked its side. 

"And even more stupid car!" 

_What the hell is keeping Kevin? _The stupid chunk of a guy had been gone for half an hour and still hadn't come back… 

Nicole looked around at deserted street. Perfect timing for the car to go dead on her and the phone running out of its battery. 

_Oh, why did Kevin have to take this way home anyway? _

She took her bag and started to walk. 

_Where is the payphone when you need one?_

She walked as quickly as the uneven ground could permit. She glanced around her at the lights scattered here and there in the otherwise dark street. As she hurried along it occurred to her that she was a solitary female, alone in the dark in what was purported to be a crime-ridden neighborhood. The thought sent fear racing up her spine. 

Heavy footsteps suddenly thudded in the dirt behind her, and Nicole's heart gave a leap of terror. She quickened her pace, and the unidentified footsteps moved more quickly too. Panicking, Nicole broke into a stumbling run. Suddenly, she saw a figure stepping out from a shadowy building in front of her. 

"Help!" she cried. "There's someone - " 

Her foot struck something and she soared through the air, her mouth open in a silent scream, her arms flailing for balance, and landed sprawling face down in the dirt at the stranger's feet. 

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" A voice asked in angry concern. 

Nicole braced herself on her forearms. When she lifted her chagrined gaze from the oddly familiar Doc Marten boots to the face looking down at her, she immediately turned crimson red. 

_Of all the people in the world…Why does have to be her?_

"Auditioning for the circus… And for an encore I usually fall off a bridge…" 

Dean laughed as she took her firmly by the shoulder and helped her to her feet. "Are you okay?" 

"Fine…" Nicole retorted. 

"What were you running away from?" 

At the same very moment, a pack of dogs came running past them. Dean stared at the pack for a moment before bursting into laughter. "My, cute monsters…" she said. 

Nicole snorted. She snapped her arms away but in doing so, she almost lost her balance. Strong hands steadied her. 

"Whoa, take it easy there…" Dean knew she shouldn't be teasing her but god, that pout is too adorable to resist… "Can you walk?" 

"For miles…" Nicole assured her unsteadily. Every muscle in her body was protesting, and her left ankle was throbbing painfully. 

"Why don't you sit down and let me take a look at your ankle…" Dean guided her over to the curb and sat her down. She then crouched down. "What are you doing in this part of town anyway?" 

"This is the short cut to my house…" Nicole answered. "The car went bust on us and so did my mobile phone…" 

_Aren't I supposed to be angry with this girl but why am I not? Didn't I just swear that I would kill her?_

But here she is, staring at the top of Dean's bent head. 

"Uh-huh…" Dean began to unbuckle the thin strap to her sandal. 

The mere touch of her fingers against her ankle sent amazing jolts of electricity shooting up her leg, and Nicole stiffened with the unexpected shock. Luckily, Dean didn't seem to notice as she carefully explored her calf, moving slowly down toward her ankle. 

"It doesn't seem swollen… Does it hurt at all?" 

"Very little…" Nicole answered. "Not nearly as much as my dignity…" 

"In that case, by tomorrow your ankle and your dignity will probably be fine…" 

Still crouching, Dean cupped her heel in her left hand and reached over to pick up her sandal with her right. Just as she was about to slip the sandal onto her foot, she glanced up at her and her lazy smile sent Nicole's pulse racing. 

"Isn't there some fairy tale about a man who searched for the woman whose foot fits into a glass slipper?" 

"Uh-huh…" Nicole nodded. "Cinderella…" 

"What happens to me if this slipper fits?" Dean asked. 

"I turn you into a frog…" 

For a moment their gazes held. Something flickered in the dark depths of her eyes. And for a brief second Nicole thought it was a flame of sexual attraction that Dean abruptly doused. 

"Nicole!" 

Dean turned to see a tall man running towards them. She quickly stood up. 

"Nicole! What happened? Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, Kevin…" Nicole said. "Just where the hell have you been?" 

"The gas station was a bit further than I had expected…" Kevin answered. 

"Just count on you to go on a date with an empty tank…" Nicole snorted as she held up her hand to be helped up. Both Dean and Kevin reached out to take her hand. Nicole looked surprised for a moment but then; she took Kevin's hand over Dean's. 

Dean dropped her hand and shoved it in the back of her jeans. 

"Who's this?" 

"She just helped me to get up when I fell down…" Nicole answered. 

The man turned to Dean and eyed her up and down. Taking in the faded blue jeans, denim jacket and black tee shirt. He reached into the back of his pocket and took out a thick fold of money and pulled out several hundreds. He then shoved it towards her. 

"Take it… You sure hell looks like you need it..." 

Dean stared at it. When she looked up again, her expression dark. Her gaze then shifted to Nicole's. Without a word, she turned and walked away. 

"Well, that's rude…" 

*************************

"Sammy…" 

The velvety voice whispered huskily as a hand stroked slowly over her body, carefully molding her weakening frame until she was trembling with anticipation, her skin becoming alive with every touch. Sam could feel the slow beat of her lover's heart against her own in a mutual rhythm that sounded like beautifully composed music. Their lips sought each other and met in a lightness that she had not dreamed possible. There was no rush in the kiss; it was tormentingly gentle and slow… 

"Sam! Get up, time to go to school…" 

And all she could see was her white bedroom ceiling… 

"Oh, I love this picture…" Sam said. "It just captures Satan… Look at her eyes!" She was sitting crossed leg Indian style in the newspaper office floor while pictures were scattered around her. Dean was sitting at her desk. 

"Took it at the time she was about ready to kill me…" Dean said. 

Sam froze when she came to the next picture. It was of Brooke. She was very photogenic, she thought swallowing a lump in her throat. It had been a windy day, and she was only in her cheerleader outfit, her skirt flowing around her. The photograph had captured her delicate features in profile with the wind whipping her hair into glorious abandon. 

"This should have been taken in color…" 

"Huh? What?" Dean turned to her, puzzled. 

"Mere black and white couldn't capture her glowing skin, the gold highlights in her hair or the sparkle in her eyes…" 

Dean peered over her shoulder. She frowned when she saw whose picture Sam was holding. "Are you talking about Brooke, your sworn enemy?" 

As if shaken from a dream, Sam straightened up. "Well, you can't deny the fact… that she is beautiful…" 

"You don't go around saying your enemy has a glowing skin and a sparkle in her eyes… Next you'll be telling me she's got great legs…" 

"Well, she does…" Sam murmured under her breath. 

"Dean…" 

"Yeah…" 

"Do you believe in dreams?" Sam asked. 

"I try not too…" Dean answered, not really listening. 

"Have you ever dreamt of kissing another women…" 

Dean looked up in disbelief. "Eh, hello Miss McPherson… In case you don't know what the meaning of the word 'Lesbian' is…." 

"Okay - okay… Stupid question…" Sam laughed. 

"Next question…" Dean said. 

Sam shifted uncomfortably. Although she was facing her back, she could feel Dean's eyes watching her, wondering what the hell had gotten into her. 

"I had this dream… Well, dreams actually…" 

"Okay…" 

Sam got to her knees and turned to Dean. "Swear you'll never tell a soul about this…" 

Suddenly taken aback at the intensity of her tone, Dean just nodded. 

Sam sat back down. "I've been having gay dreams… And since you're the only person who has experience in this, I thought that you could… Well, tell me what does it mean…" 

"I don't know much about dreams…" Dean said. 

"It's nothing like the normal sex dreams… And I know the difference. Cause you know, it's not like I haven't dreamt about sex before, because I have you know…" 

Sam was practically ranting non-stop and Dean was not too sure where it was leading so she just nodded in silence. 

"But this, this is totally real… There was nothing flower scented or out of focus about it…it's sweaty, slippery… body grinding… bed squeaking – lesbian sex…" 

"Okay-okay…" Dean said, on the edge of bursting in laughter. "I get the point…" 

"Each and every night Dean…" Sam said. "I tell you something is wrong with me…" 

"Nothing is wrong with you, Sam…" Dean said. "Its just dreams… A metaphor for an extreme sexual frustration…" 

Sam sat in silence while fiddling with her pen. 

"How long since you've had sex?" 

"Dean!" Sam turned crimson red. 

"What?" Dean asked. "Don't tell me you're a virgin…" 

The blush deepened 

"Oh, god…" Dean was on the verge of falling off her seat as she laughed. "Don't tell me you like Britney Spears…" 

"What's wrong with saving yourself?" Sam was irked. 

"And what do you think Justin Timberlake does every night…? Sing himself to sleep?" 

"Can we get back to my problem here?" 

"I'm sorry…" Dean said amid chuckles. 

"How do you know if you're turning gay?" Sam asked quietly. 

"Well, I don't know about the others but from my experience…Getting turned on just by watching a girl could be a sign…" 

_I get turned on every time I look at Brooke_

"You found yourself always checking the accessories…" 

_Do that all the time…_

"Imagining yourself having sex with that person…" 

_Right-o_

"Having this uncontrollable impulse to beat the shit out of her boyfriend…" 

_Hadn't felt that, but did felt like choking Josh to death every time they kiss_

"Sam… Is there anything in your closet that you want to tell me about?" 

Sam looked down at the photographs scattered around her, and came to rest on the black-and-white photo of Brooke captured in a jump, hanging in mid-air. 

"I love Brooke McQueen…" 

***************************** 

Carmen's mouth formed a perfect 'O' and Lily stared at Sam as if she had grown horns. Meanwhile Harrison looked stumped. Sam looked over to Dean, a worried look in her eyes. 

"So, let me get this straight, Sam…" Carmen was saying. "You're telling us that you're in love with Brooke?" 

Sam nodded. 

"Does Brooke know?" 

Sam shook her head. 

"You're really in love with her?' 

Again, Sam nodded. 

"So, now you're gay?" 

More nods. 

"Okay, I need some chocolate…" Carmen said, fanning herself. 

"Guys, come on…" Sam pleaded. "I can't deny it anymore… If I keep it to myself any longer I'll burst!" 

"And I thought I had issues…" Lily murmured. 

"Look, I don't want to hide from you guys… You guys are my best friends… and you deserve to know the truth…" 

"How could you…?" 

Sam turned to Harrison. 

"You know I like Brooke too… And you let me on as if I had a chance with Brooke…" 

"Harrison…" 

"I have a question…" Lily said suddenly, raising her hand as if she was in class. 

They all turned to her. 

"Brooke is still straight right?" 

Harrison broke into a grin. 

Sam broke into tears. 

"Huh… What's that all about?" Nicole stood at the window looking down into the garden. 

"What Nicky?" Mary Cherry chorused from the bed. 

"Spam's crying…" 

Brooke's ear immediately perked up. "Sam's crying?" she asked looking up from the task of painting her nails. 

"Bawling more like it…" Nicole retorted as she watched Dean held Sam in her arms. 

Brooke came to stand beside Nicole. "Why is she crying?" 

"Don't know… Don't wanna know…" Nicole quipped. 

"Maybe I should go down and check on her…" 

"I think McLeod is soothing her just fine…" Nicole bit her lower lip when Dean's hand began to move up and down Sam's back. _Why the hell does Spam has to cry in Dean's arms when there are three other people there? Hell, Carmen's arms would be more comfy…with all those access flab…_

"Do you think she's sleeping with Sam?" 

"What?" Brooke and Nicole both barked. 

Mary Cherry stepped back a bit, startled. "I mean Dean's gay and all… And you said once Nicky; that you think Sam's confused…" 

"I think we better go down and see what's going on…" Nicole said heading for the door. "Who knows maybe we can find something to hold over her head next time she decided to thrash us in the papers…" she added. 

"So, who died?" 

They turned to find the Glamazons standing behind them. Nicole was at the front, regarding them disdainfully. 

"Nobody, yet…" Dean retorted. "But there will be if you don't shove off…" 

"And here I thought I could come down and see what's bothering our little Miss Muffet…" Nicole said sarcastically. "And maybe offer a shoulder to cry on…" 

"Nic…" Brooke stepped in. "We saw Sam crying and wondered if there's anything wrong…" 

"Nothing's wrong…" Sam said as she finally lifted her tear stained face from the crook of Dean's shoulder. Carmen handed her a facial tissue and she smiled gratefully. 

"Then why are you crying?" Brooke asked. 

"Lily told us a bad joke…" Carmen blurted suddenly. 

"Heh?" Lily piped up, confused. 

"Yeah, really bad joke…" 

Lily boxed Carmen's shoulder. 

"Ouch! That hurts!" Carmen said. 

Then, the five looked at each other and one by one began to giggle. 

"What the hell is so funny?' Nicole asked. But the question remained unanswered as the laughter became louder. "Oh, fuck it… These losers are getting freaky by the minute…" she said as she marched back into the house. 

***************************** 

Dean looked up from her book and sighed. Just looking at the algebraic questions gives her migraines. She sighed again and started to scan her surroundings. There were not many students in the library. The tables in front of her were all empty. She began to yawn. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw some movement and she turned. She saw Mary Cherry standing at the far end of her table. _Mary Cherry? In a library?_

Someone brushed past her and made her turn. Dean's heart skipped a beat. Nicole had just walked past and was heading to the table in front of her. She chose a seat that directly faces Dean. 

Dean bit her lips to stop from grinning. She cursed herself for feeling like a giddy schoolboy at the sight of Nicole. _No use pining for a girl who's so stuck up that she couldn't even acknowledge her as someone she knew from school._ She looked at everything and everyone in the library but Nicole. 

Nicole could see the discomfort she had put Dean in. And she loved it. It was obvious that the dark haired dyke is attracted to her. The look that she saw in her eyes the other night had confirmed that. 

_ What happens to me if this slipper fits?_

_ I turn you into a frog_

Nicole shook her head. This is not the time to think about that… Not that she always think about the smoky voice and the eyes that looked up at her, with an adorable twinkle. This is the time for a little payback… 

"Nicky…" 

That snapped her attention back to Mary Cherry. 

"You haven't been listening to a word I've said have you?" pouted Mary Cherry. 

Nicole was about to answer her when she saw Dean getting up and heading to the back of the library. "Umm… Mary Cherry…" Nicole started to get up. "Why don't you go out and wait for me in class…" 

Dean skimmed her fingers along the volumes of books in the shelf. She wasn't really looking for anything in particular she just wanted to get away from Nicole. She picked up a book about photography and began flipping through the pages. Suddenly, she felt a hand ran up her spine. Startled, she nearly dropped the book on her foot. 

"Oh, did I startle you?" 

She immediately knew who it was. Slowly, she turned. Nicole was smiling at her. A teasing glint in her eyes. "What do you want Nicole?" 

"Ah, the question is… What do you want?" Nicole said, deliberately licking her lips. 

Dean frowned. W_hat the hell has gotten into the girl? _She shook her head. "Whatever…" she said, turning away. 

"Now, McLeod… Don't tell me you're not up to the challenge?" 

Dean turned again. "What challenge?" 

"I know you've been watching me…" Nicole said as she took a step nearer. 

Dean could feel the blood pounding in her ears as Nicole again licked her lips provocatively. She continued to come up until she was standing so close, Dean could smell the fragrance of her hair. The sweet, creamy vanilla… 

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Nicole breathed, enjoying the pained look in the brown eyes. She stopped merely an inch from Dean. Then, she ran a hand up her arms. 

"My, you're tense…" she chuckled. Suddenly, Dean's hand shot up and grabbed her wrist. "What do you think you're doing?" Nicole screeched. 

"I want to kiss you…" came the blunt reply. 

"Wh – Wha - at?" Nicole began to panic. Now, she regretted doing this. _This is not right; the plan is to humiliate her… Not for her to kiss me! _ She began backing away 

"And I know you want to kiss me…" the lazy grin began to widened. She moved closer to her and Nicole's back hit the wall. Dean planted her arms on each side of her. Trapping her right in the middle. Her hand slipped up to Nicole's shoulder, her grip tightening as she drew closer to her. 

Nicole felt the searing impression of her fingers and shivered, avoiding her gaze. "I don't want to kiss you…" she said unsteadily, confused and at the same time frightened by the emotions the brown eyes was arousing in her. 

Dean studied her intently. "Now, Nicky…" she murmured, her gaze clouding as she raised her hand to stroke her face. "Don't tell me that if I do this… your knees doesn't go weak…or this…" Her thumb began to trace the line of Nicole's lower lip. "This doesn't make you wonder how it would be like? Would it be soft? Warm…" her voice becoming deeper and more husky. 

"Let me go…" Nicole said shakily as she saw the hungry look in her deep sensual eyes. The impact sent volts of excitement through her. Dean smiled, her eyes lazy and slumberous. 

"Make me…" Dean drawled, pulling her softly towards her. 

Nicole watched her dark head approach with increasing alarm. Dean seemed to move in slow motion. Her heartbeat increased in terrifying proportions, her pulse thudding quickly in her throat as Dean drew nearer with tantalizing slowness. Nicole felt her eyes droop, her lids closing as she automatically titled her head back to meet hers. 

Her mouth fastened on hers with remarkable tenderness. Nicole's pulses leapt with confusion as she allow Dean's long fingers to slide down her back, pulling her still closer to her till she could feel her hard, lean body pressing against her. Her lips parted willingly and the kiss deepened, warm and firm. She kissed Dean back with a passion that surprised her. She ran her fingers through her dark hair, pulling her closer to her, her mind dizzy with emotion. 

Dean drew back slowly. "Remember Nicky…" she said. "Don't play with fire if you're afraid to get burned…" With that, she shoved herself off her and walked away. 

Sam chewed the tip of her pencil as she stared at her paper. Now, what was the point of this article again? She made a face at the article as if it was offensive. Footsteps coming up to the table made her looked up. She saw Josh walking in with Brooke. 

"Hey Sam…" Josh said. 

Sam managed a smile. 

Brooke didn't even glance her way. She sat down at her side of the table and began flipping through her book. 

_Looks like I don't exist today_…Sam thought glumly. 

A heavy thud coming from the table behind them made them both turned. Nicole slammed her books on the table and sat down huffily. 

"Nic, you okay?" Brooke asked. 

Nicole was about to answer her when she saw Dean walking in. She immediately clamp up. 

"Hey babe…" Dean ruffled the top of Sam's head affectionately before heading to her table. She avoided looking at Nicole for she was still angry with her. _Well, angry and horny at the same time…Bad combination…Better not look at her or she'll lose her ability to think not to mention self control altogether…_

"You two seem very close…" 

Sam heard her voice but she was not sure the statement was aimed at her so instead of answering, she looked around her. 

"I'm talking to you, Sam…" 

"Oh…" 

"You and Dean…" Brooke said. "You two are very close…" 

"She's a good friend…" Sam said. "Helped me in a couple of things…" 

"I see…" Brooke said. "What about yesterday? Did she help you too?" 

"Yesterday?" 

"About the thing that you were crying about…" 

"Oh, that…" _Nobody but you can help me about that_… Sam thought. 

"I'm sorry if I've offended you…" Brooke said. "I know it's not my business or anything… I just…" 

Sam didn't know what forces had made her did what she did next but she found herself reaching out and placing her hand over Brooke's. "You haven't offended me in any way…" 

Brooke swallowed hard. The warmth from her hand was seeping into hers and went right up to her cheeks. "Sam… I…" 

"Sam!" 

Sam nearly fell off her seat when she heard Harrison's voice. She spun around and glared at him. "Jeez, Harrison…" she said. "You're trying to give me a heart attack or something?" 

Harrison smiled innocently. "I was just wondering if you've finished the lit report…" 

Mumbling expletives under her breath, Sam rummaged through her bag and retrieved a file. She handed it over to Harrison. 

"Thanks…" he smiled sweetly. 

Sam stuck her tongue out at him. Suddenly, something caught her eyes and she stared at Dean strangely. 

"Dean…" 

"Hmm…?" Dean cocked up an eyebrow. 

"Since when do you wear lipstick?" 

****************************** 

The knock at the door forced Dean to get up from in front of the TV. She peered into the peephole and frowned when she saw who was standing outside her door. She yanked the door open. 

"What the hell are you doing here?" 

Nicole lifted her gaze to the frowning face. "I had to see you…" 

"Let me guess, you missed me…" Dean retorted. 

"Yes…" 

The answer came totally unexpected that Dean was at lost for words. She blinked blankly for a few moments but then her defenses came up again. 

"What do you want Nicole…?" 

"You…" 

Dean chuckled dryly. "Let's not get into that game again, Nicole… You know you'll lose…" 

"I was hoping that I would…" 

"Go home Nicole…" Dean said. "Go home to your rich life and your rich boyfriend and stop bugging the hell out of me…" 

What happened next was a blur but Dean felt Nicole's mouth on hers and Dean forgot whatever it was she was angry about… 

At the back of her mind, Nicole heard the door slammed shut and Dean's arm sliding through her waist, drawing her body against hers. 

Dean was already unfastening Nicole's silk blouse, pulling her bra down to expose her breasts as she lowered her onto the bed and covered Nicole's half naked body with hers. Her mouth skillfully aroused her swelling breasts and hardened nipples, while her hand insinuated itself beneath her skirt and pulled down the lace band of her underpants. 

Nicole bit softly into her lips to trap the cry that bubbled up inside her as Dean's hand slipped between her thighs. She was touching her with an intimacy that sent a blaze of desire through her. 

"Dean!" Her voice was high with desire as she felt Dean pushed her legs further apart. 

Dean's lips came crushing down on hers, smothering any further cries. An explosion of desire ripped through Nicole as she felt Dean's tongue probed deeply, teasing her with her expert kisses. Her hands moved down the length of her body with long, unhurried strokes. When her mouth left her lips, her voice was husky and deep. 

"Do you want me, Nicky?" she asked, her voice raw with emotion. She kissed her again, a long, demanding kiss forcing her lips to open, and a fierce blaze of desire made Nicole shudder. She wrapped her arms around her, clasping her back and pulling her down on her. 

"Dean…" Nicole pressed her nails deep into Dean's back as her strong fingers teased her intimately, making her cry out with pleasure. She knew what she wanted and still apart of her tried to deny the impact of her feelings till she could take it no more. 

"Please…Oh, god…" she pleaded, moving against her with an abandon she had not thought possible. "Dean!" the cry was torn from her; it was the final admission of defeat and surrender. All she could feel was the sheer pleasure and ecstasy. 

It seemed an eternity before they were both fully satisfied. Afterwards Nicole curled up against Dean, hiding in the crook of her arm, and fell into a deep welcoming sleep. 

The moment Dean opened her eyes she found Nicole sitting at the edge the bed, putting her blouse back on. 

"Nicky…" 

Dean saw her shoulders stiffened. Suddenly, she got up and turned to her. 

"Well, that was good…" she said. 

Dean frowned not to sure how to react to that. "Thank you?" 

"Actually, thank _you_…I was only curious…" Nicole said as she began to hunt for her shoe. 

"I'm sorry, what?" Dean was beginning to dread the answer even before Nicole answered her. 

"I was curious about fucking a girl and you cleared it for me…" Nicole said. "Thanks…" 

"Now hold on a bloody second…" Dean sprang up on her feet. She grabbed her shirt and hastily put it on. "Mind telling me what the hell that supposed to mean?" 

"Breathing the muck in this place must have gotten into your brain…" Nicole said. "I just wanted a fuck… That's all…" 

"Oh…" was all Dean capable to say as the realization sank into her. 

"Well, goodbye…" 

With that the door slammed shut. 

****************************** 

"Anybody know why Glass cancelled class today?" Harrison asked as they made their way to the cafeteria. 

"I think she said she had to go see a doctor…" Carmen said. "A liver specialist…" 

"I reckon that's the least of her problems…" Lily said. "What that woman need is a brain specialist…" 

Nicole looked up when she heard laughs. She saw the troop walking into the cafeteria. Her eyes immediately seek for Dean and she saw her at the back, smiling at what Lily was saying. Oh, she looked so good in black tee and cargo pants hanging low on her hips. A glimpse of her flat stomach peeked just above the waistline. Dread washed over her. 

_She must hate me now…_

_Duh… Of course she does you dick head… You just humiliated her last night…_An imaginary hand slapped the back of Nicole's head. 

_Okay, so I went there to prove a point…That I am not attracted to her and that her kiss had not been branded on my lips and in my heart…But when as soon as she opened the door and seeing her in a night shirt… I completely forgot what I was supposed to do except I want to be with her… That scared the shit out of me…and after making love… _

Oh, that sounded good… Not just sex but making love… And as I lay in her arms… I realized that I Nicole Julian, second in command of the cheerleading squad, one of the most popular girl in school - are actually falling… 

"Nicky…" 

Nicole's mental tirade burst with a pop. 

"Where were you last night?" Mary Cherry asked. 

Nicole froze. "At home…" 

"No, you're not…" Mary Cherry said. "I called your house and your maid said you went out. I tried your handset but it was turned off…" 

"Oh, yeah… I went out for a while… I must have left my phone switched off…" 

"Oh, okay…" Mary Cherry sounded satisfied with the answer. 

Nicole turned back her earlier task but she realized the troop were nowhere to be seen. She bit her lips. _Damn… Oh, wait… There they are… Huh… Spam is at her side again. What's up with that girl? Can't she find someone else to cling to? _

**************************** 

Brooke squinted in the harsh glare of the sun overhead. She could barely see the track team going through their routines among the heat line that emanated from the tracks. It had to be at least ninety degrees and with each step, her sneakers sank into the sticky tar. 

She looked around to see where her squad is. She saw Poppy talking to one of the athletes while Mary Cherry was…err… Sunbathing? She can't tell but she was sitting in the middle of the field in a lounge chair, putting suntan oil on her legs. _Whatever_… Brooke shook her head. Nicole was nowhere to be seen. 

Her gaze shifted to the seats behind her and spotted Dean bending over her camera equipment bag. She was engrossed in fastening her lenses that she didn't notice Brooke coming up to her. 

"Hello…" 

Dean looked up. She smiled when she saw Brooke. "Hi…" 

"You know, you've been here for months but we haven't actually been introduced…" Brooke said, smiling. "Let's start over, I'm Brooke McQueen…" she extended her hand. 

Dean got up from her hunches and took the hand offered. "Dean McLeod…" she said. 

"You're covering today's practice?" Brooke asked. 

"Yeah, we're doing a piece about the track team and the interschool championship…" 

"I see…" Brooke nodded. 

"And you're having your practice today? It's so damn hot…" Dean said. 

"It depends…" Brooke said. "If we don't melt first…" she said as she sat down on one of the plastic seats. She quickly jumped up at contact with the baking heat. 

Dean chuckled. "Oopps… Should have told you about the seats…" 

"Thanks a lot…" Brooke said, rubbing her torched behind. 

Dean studied Brook. It wasn't hard to understand why Sam had fallen for the girl. Her honey blond hair fell in a soft shining mass straight down to her shoulder. The soft tendrils at her ears frame a face of flawless, vivid beauty. Her cheekbones were slightly high, her nose small, her chin delicately rounded, but her eyes were her most arresting feature. Beneath the arc of her brows, long curly lashes fringed eyes that were startling, luminous blue eyes. 

"Are you seeing Sam?" 

Dean cocked up an eyebrow. "Seeing? What do you mean by seeing?" 

Brooke shifted on her feet nervously. "I mean, are the two of you… seeing each other romantically?" 

Dean's eyebrow shot up another few inches. _Where did that came from? Did I detect jealousy there? Hmm…_

"You mean are we dating each other?" 

Brooke nodded. 

Dean laughed. 

"Hey…" 

They both turned to see Sam walking towards them. 

"Hey you…" Dean couldn't help grinning. 

"Hey Sam…"Brooke said. 

"What are you guys up to?" Sam asked. 

"Oh, we're just talking…" Dean said. 

"Really… Anything worth putting in the papers?" Sam cocked up her eyebrow. 

"Is the paper all that you think about, Sam?" Brooke asked suddenly. 

"Huh?" This time both eyebrows shot up. 

"Whatever… I got practice to go to… See you around…" 

Sam stared at Brooke's marching backside, dumbfounded. She turned to Dean. "What was that all about?" 

Dean shrugged. "Hey, don't ask me… She's your girlfriend…" 

Sam shot her a murderous glare. 

"Oohh… Wrong button to push…" Dean said backing away. 

"Let's just get the interview done so that after this I can kill you…" 

Dean laughed as she hauled her camera bag onto her shoulder. "Right-O, Boss…" 

Sam let the Coach drone on about his new training method. She wasn't even listening. She eyes were planted way over his shoulder as she watched Brooke in her practice. 

"And that, is how we're going to win the championship…" 

Sam realized the Coach had stopped talking. She smiled. "Yes, thank you Sir. I think I have all the information I need…" she said as she dumped her tape recorder into her bag. She headed to Dean who was standing near the finishing post taking pictures of the sprinters as they pass the finish line 

"You finished?" Dean asked. 

Sam nodded. Dean crouched down to put her camera back in its case. Sam watched her for a moment. But then, her eyes wandered again to the cheerleaders. 

"Sam, you're drooling…" Dean whispered. 

Sam swatted her with her legal pad. "Like you're not drooling over Satan…" 

At the mention of Nicole, Dean's expression hardened. "That's different…" she said. 

"Huh? Why is it different?" Sam asked. 

"I had actually slept with her…" Dean said. "You don't even have the courage to tell the girl you love about your feelings…" 

"You get to sleep with Satan cause she's a whore…" Sam quipped. 

"As much as I agree with you…" Dean said as she too began to watch the squad. "I have to admit that, at the same time… I'm hoping that you're wrong…" 

"Oh, don't go mushy on me, McLeod…" Sam said. "It's creepy…" 

**************************** 

This is a small apartment. But it was cozy. The living part of the room was about eight by ten feet with two small windows facing out onto a brick wall. A single light fixture in the ceiling held a single light bulb. The wooden floor was dark and unpolished. 

About the same size as the living room was the kitchen area, with cracked linoleum floor. There were a few cabinets attached to the wall at varying heights, a stained porcelain sink and a refrigerator with a puddle of water under it. A new stove, with labels still attached had been jammed between the sink and the refrigerator. There were no bedroom; the bed is just a mattress on the floor in front of the TV set. 

Not exactly what I had grown up with but somehow, I didn't mind. If a week ago, someone would have told me that I would be here, in this part of town, in this small apartment, in this bed, with this person, I would have shoved them off a roof with my pumps stuck up their ass but here I am and the figure sleeping beside me breathed evenly in her sleep. 

I had expected her to kick me out as soon as she found me outside her door when I came here the second time. Instead, she just looked at me with hurt, confusion and desire all at the same time. I guess she didn't want to ask me what I was doing here because she didn't want me to answer like I did the last time. If she did, I didn't know what to answer also, other then going into denial mode and any thing that comes out of my mouth will sound cold and harsh. Where is this relationship heading to I don't know… 

Relationship? What relationship? We were just fucking each other senseless every night for the past week. 

Why am I doing this? More importantly, why am I doing this to her? God, she looked so beautiful when she's asleep, so gentle and at peace. I longed to trace my finger along the hard-set jaw, kiss the tip of the nose, not to mention the brooding lips. But that would wake her up. I've learned earlier on that she was a light sleeper. 

I don't want to hurt her… Far from that but I can't even admit to myself, the feelings I have for her, I can't say it to her… How can I tell others? …I am too scared. What would other people say? God, Spam would love to scoop this one up… My mom would certainly kill me or worse, disown me… what about her parents? 

Come to think of it… She had never mentioned her parents or other siblings to me and she lives in this apartment alone… Not even a picture of them could be found here. And she's a photographer… Weird isn't it? I guess she didn't have any… In a way she's lucky. She doesn't have to face the task of bringing home her girlfriend to be introduced to her mom…

Already 1am. I better get going before it gets too late. There's still school tomorrow. I slid off the bed, careful not to wake her up. Now, where is my bra…? Hmm… Oh yeah… Didn't wear any… What's the use…? She took it off me faster than I can get it on… Damn expert fingers… I got dressed as quietly as I could and found my keys near the door. The door closed behind me with a soft click… 

**************************** 

"So, your parents are out of town again this week, eh?" 

Brooke nodded as she climbed out of Nicole's car. She glanced and saw Sam's car already parked at its usual place. She smiled inwardly._ She's home_! Her heart cried out. 

_Suddenly, the door burst open and there stood Sam, looking beautiful as always. She smiled when she saw Brooke. _

"Hello…" 

"Hi…" Brooke answered as she walked up to the door. 

Sam's grin became wider as she drew closer. Then, she reached out and gathered Brooke in her arms and captured her mouth with her own. 

"Brookie…?" 

Brooke snapped out of her reverie with a start. 

"Why are you staring at the door like that?" 

_Trust Mary Cherry to come out with a question like that…_

"It's hot out here… Let's go in…" 

Sam gave a sigh of contentment as she rolled lazily on her stomach, unable to move as the heat of the sun beat down on her. She could barely open her eyes as she began to drift to sleep. 

"Okay! Drinks for everybody!" 

Carmen's voice pierced into her brain but her eyes refused to open. All of a sudden, she felt a hard slap on her bottoms and she abruptly sat up. 

"Huh? What?" she asked, her sunglasses sliding off down her nose. 

Carmen giggled. "Coke…" she said handing her a bottle.

"Uh… Ummm… Thanks Carm…" She pushed her glasses up her nose again. The cold drink was heavenly as she took a hearty swig. 

"Anyone ever told you, you drink like a fish…?" 

Sam made a face at Dean who sat on the chaise lounge not far away. 

"Anyone up for a dip?" Lily didn't wait for an answer as she tossed the towel she had wrapped around her waist. It landed right on top of Sam's head. She then dived in. She gave a cry as the she hit the cold water and then disappeared underneath the waves she created. 

A few moments later, her head came up. "God, this is life…" she said. 

The others smiled. 

"Good thing you're not working today…" Sam said. 

"Yeah… Can't stand the Boss standing over my shoulder talking about breast again…" 

"Huh? Breast?" Dean interrupted them. "What about 'em?" 

Sam shot her with a rubber band. "Chicken breast you divvy!" 

"Oh, okay…" Dean said rubbing the side of her rib where the band had hit her. 

"Oh, sight straight from the heaven above!" 

The girls turned to find Harrison standing at his window. 

"Angels frolicking in the pool of love…" he chorused. 

"Flattery won't get you in here Harrison!" Sam shouted back at him. "Go away!" 

Harrison laughed. "You sure?" he asked. "I'm one heck of a pool boy!" 

"In your dreams!" 

"Promise?" 

Brooke could hear the laughter coming from the back of the house. Obviously Sam was not alone. She headed in direction of the pool. The sight that greeted her made her mouth water. At the far end of the pool, was Sam. Her long, slender legs glistened with suntan oil, and her long dark hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail. Her beautiful face with its high cheekbones was half hidden behind a pair of black sunglasses, and her perfect figure was displayed in a black two-piece swimsuit. 

"Oh, hi Brooke…You're home…" 

Brooke smiled to Carmen who had spotted her standing at the patio door. Sam looked up and to her surprise, gave her a huge grin. 

"Hey, listen to this…" Dean said unaware of the new presence. Without looking up, she began reading from the newspaper. "In London, they conducted an IQ test live on TV and according to their result, BLONDES, it seems are not all that dumb after all. They averaged a score of 107 and surpassed those with black and red tresses by one point…" 

"Better believe it McLeod…" 

Dean's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. Nicole was looking at her smugly. 

Nicole saw the muscle in her jaw tightened. But then, her expression turned into one of indifference and she raised her paper back, hiding her face from view. 

"Is this a private party or anyone can join?" Mary Cherry asked. 

"Sure, anyone can join…" Carmen said cheerfully jumping at the opportunity to mingle with the 'upper crust' 

"Anyone?" Harrison piped in again. 

"Not you!" They all chorused simultaneously. 

Brooke lay back, floating on the water; it was fun just to drift in the water, splashing her arms now and again. She was unaware of two pairs of brown eyes watching her. One drooling, one plotting. 

Dean caught Sam's eyes and then tipped her head slightly toward the house. Sam frowned. Her expression was one of confusion. Again, Dean tipped her head. It took Sam a few moments before realizing what Dean was indicating. She then nodded and got up. 

Nicole saw the exchange and frowned. More so when Dean also got up and followed Sam inside. A sinking feeling begin to descend on her. She had to find out what's going on with the two. 

Brooke heard the splash and she thought nothing of it. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her foot, and within minutes she was swirling in the depths of the pool. A pair of arms were wound tightly around her waist and they surfaced in unison, their bodies locked together. 

Sam laughed as Brooke gasped and struggled for release. She was enjoying the feel of her wet body fused next to her. But she was no longer laughing as she realized one of Brooke's bikini straps had become loose in the struggle and her breast were heaving against hers. 

Brooke colored as she followed the direction of her gaze. She pushed away and this time Sam didn't stop her. She released her instantly. Brooke hastily redid her strap. When she looked up, Sam was still watching her. There were something in the depth of the liquid brown eyes. Was it desire? 

"Hey! I wanna play too!" 

A loud splash broke the contact and as Mary Cherry surfaced up, Sam was already climbing out of the pool. 

"Hey, Sam…" Carmen called out. "Where are you going?" 

"Inside…" she answered. "I'm tired…" 

Dean slapped her forehead in frustration. _For god sake! What the hell is Sam doing? She had given Sam the idea and had hinted that Sam should show Brooke a bit of affection. Not acting like a mare in heat! And more disappointing, her protégée had left the pool looking like a dejected cat._ She shook her head as she watched Sam walked back into the house from the upstairs bedroom. 

"What are you doing?" 

She spun around to see Nicole eyeing her curiously. "Nothing…" 

"Slapping your forehead red is nothing?" Nicole asked as she came to stand beside her. She looked down on what Dean was looking but all she could see was Mary Cherry doing backstrokes. "You're watching Mary Cherry?" 

"Is that so strange?" Dean asked. 

"Well, yeah… I mean that's _ Mary Cherry_…" Nicole said as if that would clear everything up. 

"Stranger things have happened…" 

"Like what?" Nicole turned and a bit startled when she found the brown eyes looking down at her. "Strange as in Easter Bunny strange?" 

"Nah… Sleeping with you…" 

Dean saw the hurt in her eyes and she felt a jab of guilt. They had never talked about that, not even during the times of her 'visits'. They were too busy ripping each other's clothes to bother for words. And she was afraid of what are the consequences when they talked it out. 

What she did next was the only solution she knew that could make Nicole compliant. She pulled her into her arms and closed her mouth on hers. Nicole didn't fight the kiss. The feeling that passed between them was electric but neither Dean nor Nicole wanted to think about it as they tumbled down onto the bed. 

Suddenly the door swung open and Sam came walking into the room. Her eyes widened at sight of the tangled limbs on her bed. 

"Argh!!" 

They both jumped away from each other. 

"My eyes!" Sam cried. "Oh, god! I'm blind!" 

"Spam!" 

It was lucky that Dean was quick to grab Nicole before she jumped on Sam. "Whoa…! Nicole… It's okay… Nicky… Listen to me…" She tried to explain. "Spam – I mean Sam, already knows…" 

Nicole stopped struggling. "What?" 

"I've known about you two for ages…" Sam said still covering her eyes. 

"And you didn't publish it in the papers?" Nicole asked in disbelief. 

"Surprised?" Sam asked. "It surprised the hell out of me too…" she said. 

"She's doing it as a favor for me…" Dean said. 

"Can I open my eyes now?" Sam asked. 

Dean chuckled. "Yes, Sam…" 

Sam peeked between her fingers, checking that the sight was indeed safe and then she dropped her hands. She grinned. "You don't know how hard it was to keep such a juicy bit from slipping into the papers…" 

Again, Nicole lunged for her. 

"Sam!" Dean said exasperated. 

"Okay-okay…" Sam said. "Rest assured Satan…. I won't publish this one…Ever…" 

Nicole eyed her skeptically. 

"Nicky! You up there?" Mary Cherry's voice traveled up from the foot of the stairs. "Can you send me home?" 

"Coming Mary Cherry…" Nicole answered back. Without lifting her eyes of Sam, she brushed past her and headed downstairs. 

Sam turned to Dean after she was gone. "I still don't know what you see in her…" 

"Never mind about that…" Dean said. "More important is… What the hell were you doing in the pool just now?" 

Sam reddened. 

**************************** 

Sam walked into the kitchen to find Nicole sitting at the table with a tub of ice cream in front of her. She looked up when she heard someone came in and when she saw Sam, she looked down again. Sam went to the refrigerator. 

"So, you and Dean, eh?" 

The question startled her but Nicole refused to be shaken by Spam. "What about me and Dean?" 

"You two serious?" 

"It's none of your business, Spam..." 

"Like hell it is, Dean is my friend and I don't want to see her get hurt..." Sam said coming to stand in front of Nicole. 

"It's nothing, all right - " Nicole said. 

"Nothing?" Sam asked. "What the hell do you mean by nothing?" 

"It's nothing, because it was a one-night stand -" Nicole said, seriously feeling like staking the brunette in front of her. "It was a hiccup - it was a one night -" 

"Oh, I think that you slept with her more than once, Nicole... " 

_Uh-huh Spam using her real name... Erk!_

"All right, I slept with her a couple of times, but that was it..." Nicole said. 

"How many?" Sam asked. 

"A couple!" 

"How many?" 

"What do you want to know for? " Nicole bristled. 

"How many?" 

"Six, all right…?" Nicole said, annoyed. "Six!" 

"Six one night stands?" Sam raised her eyebrows. "I think you're kidding yourself, Nicole..." 

"Let's just drop this conversation, all right...?" Nicole said. "Shouldn't you be doing reports or something...?" 

Sam shrugged. "Nah, done, finished..." 

"All right, well why don't you go and get your nose checked or something…?" Nicole suggested. 

"Do you love her?" 

"Oh, you are mad. You're mad…." 

Nicole's denials came up full force. 

"I'm not going to fight you anymore, Spam." She said. "You think what you like, all right? You think what you like..." 

Sam sat down at the table, regarding Nicole intensely. "I don't know if I like you seeing Dean..." 

"What? You don't like me seeing Dean?" 

"I don't know if I like that... " 

"Why?" 

"Cause you're going a bit soft on me, Satan..." Sam said, breaking into a smile. 

"I am not going soft on you - " Nicole shook her spoon at Sam threateningly. "Dean McLeod is not going to make me go soft on you..." 

Sam laughed. "I think you're in love..." 

"What?" 

"I think you're in love... " Sam repeated. 

Nicole struggled to keep herself from grinning. "Get outta here..." 

Sam smiled knowing her words had struck its mark. "I'd better get out of here then, hey?" 

"Yeah, you'd better..." 

Sam got up to leave. "Hey Satan..." 

Nicole looked up to her. 

"You're not so bad after all..." 

* * *

-To be continued - 

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Dean was engrossed in her reading that she didn't notice Sam coming up beside her until a dark shadow fell on her. 

"Hey, babe…" she said looking up. 

Sam motioned for her to move her legs. Dean curled her legs under her as Sam sat down at the end of the lounge. "Do you think it's wise to still call me 'babe'?" 

"Oh… You don't like to be called 'babe'?" Dean asked. "What about sweet cheeks then? Or pumpkin?" she made a face at her last suggestion. "Wait, my last ex called me pumpkin, so that's out…" 

"What would Nicole say…?" 

Dean raised her trademark-questioning eyebrow. "Nicole?" she asked. "Since when does the two of you are on first name basis?" 

"Dean, I'm serious…" 

"Well, she's not…" Dean said as she raised her book again. 

"That's not true…" Sam said, grabbing hold of her book and lowering it, wanting to look into Dean's eyes while they talked. 

"Sam, she made it clear to me that there's nothing between us…" Dean sighed. "She doesn't want to have anything to do with me… Why should I care about what she feels?" 

"You have to understand, Dean. She's one of the most popular girls in school. Popularity is what she lives for…" Sam reasoned. "Dating a dyke is not exactly a popularity campaign booster is it?" 

"She should have thought about that before she jumped my bone…" 

"Dean…" Sam said exasperated, knowing that Dean's stubbornness can be really irritating. As much the same level as Nicole's bitchiness. No wonder they're perfect for each other… 

"Hey, I'm not gonna say anything about it and ruin her popularity… You're the only one who know about us…" Dean said. "In the mean time, I get free conjugal visits… Fine with me…" 

"Conjugal?" Sam laughed. 

"Boink time – whatever…" Dean huffed. 

She was about to return to her reading and ignore Sam when Nicole came waltzing pass. She had changed into a two-piece bikini, showing off her compact body and around her waist, she had wrapped a beautiful batik print blue sarong, which stretched taut over the firm contours of her hips and derriere, providing a very delightful view. 

"Close your mouth, honey…" Sam said as she pushed Dean's gaping lower jaw shut. 

Nicole knew her eyes were on her and she refused to acknowledge the look but she can't deny the bubbles of excitement floating in her heart at the thought of Dean staring at her. She headed towards Brooke who was sitting at the opposite side of the pool with her feet dangling in the water. She handed her the bowl of ice cream she had been carrying. 

"Thanks, Nic…" 

"Uh-huh…" Nicole sat on the chair behind Brooke. 

"Where's Mary Cherry?" Brooke asked. 

"She went home…" Nicole said. "She said something about picking up some supplies… I gave her my car… She'll be back later…" 

Nicole let her gaze wander and surreptitiously glanced towards Dean. Silently she cursed her for not wearing a swimsuit. While everyone was in their respective suits, Dean was fully garbed in a brown khaki shorts and a black soccer jersey – BLACKBURN ROVERS – the emblem stated. Nicole didn't have a clue which team that was but she was not interested in the jersey, rather the package underneath the clothes… _Hey, isn't that a title of a song?_

  
I haven't slept at all in days   
It's been so long since we've talked   
And I have been here many times   
I just don't know what I'm doing wrong 

  
What can I do to make you love me?   
What can I do to make you care?   
What can I say to make you feel this?   
What can I do to get you there? 

"Hey, I like this song…" Carmen said as she went to the stereo to turn it up a notch. 

"The Corrs?" Dean asked. "I used to like them too…" 

"You?" Sam asked skeptically. "The Corrs?" 

"Yeah… But with the sound turned off…" 

All heads turned to her as if she had grown horns. 

"How can you listen to a music group if you turn the sound off?" Carmen asked. 

"I never said I listen to them…" Dean said. When she saw the confused looks, she chuckled. "It's sort of a physical thing…" she said. "One of the sisters had a great bum…" 

"Which one?" 

"Don't remember her face…" Dean said. "Just remember her bum…" 

Sam boxed her shoulder. "You have a thing for butts don't you…" 

Dean grinned. "Hey, you've got a set that would turn heads too…" she said. "Don't you think so, Brooke?" she turned to look at Brooke whom she knew had been watching her and Sam all along. 

Turning red at the unexpected question, Brooke immediately dropped her gaze to her bowl of ice cream. _Was she too obvious?_

"I wouldn't know, Dean… You're the expert…" she managed to mumble. 

"Carm? Lil?" 

"I guess so…" Carmen said while Lily nodded. 

"I guess you've noticed how her suit emphasizes her curves…" Dean tugged Sam up to stand beside her. Her hand gestured down the length of Sam. "Come to think of it, don't you think she looked a tad too beautiful just for a dip in the pool…?" 

Sam squirmed in Dean's hands but she kept a firm hold of her shoulder. 

"Do any of you know why she looked so beautiful today?" 

"Ooh!Ohh! I know…" Lily yelled from the water, raising her hand like she was waiting for a teacher to call on her. 

"Yes, Miss Esposito…?" Dean asked, pointing. 

"I think cause she wants to attract a certain someone's attention…" Lily said. 

Sam shot an alarmed look at her, panicking at the path this conversation is taking. Her friends wouldn't really blow her cover would they? After years of friendship, they would allow Sam just the smallest scrap of dignity right? 

"I think Sam was hoping that someone would finally notice her…" Carmen said. "A special someone…" 

"And do we know the name of that special someone, Miss Ferrera?" Dean asked. 

Sam shot her hand up to slap the back of Dean's head but she was quick to duck and grinned mischievously at her. 

"I don't remember…" Carmen said, biting her nails thoughtfully. "Let's see, could it be…" 

"You guys…" Sam begged, while her eyes darted to see Brooke was eyeing them curiously. 

"I think it rhymes with hook…" 

"Crook…" Lily said. 

"Shook…" 

"Book…" 

"I'm back!!!" 

The nasal announcement from inside the house interrupted them. A few moments later, Mary Cherry appeared with a full laden bag draped on her shoulder. 

"What have you got there, Mary Cherry?" Sam asked; for once in her life felt like kissing the blonde Texan's webbed feet for her impeccable sense of timing. 

"If we're gonna have a party…" Mary Cherry dumped the bag she had been carrying on the table. "We gotta have the spirits…" she began to retrieve various type of liquor from the bag. "Any special requests?" 

Hours passed, bottles emptied and the sun began to settle in the far horizon casting a yellow shadow over the landscape. The pool lights were lit, giving the water an iridescent green glow, and someone had put on a disco tape into the stereo. 

Brooke opened her eyes groggily. She rubbed her eyes and then her temple, as she could feel the hangover taking over her. She looked around and saw Carmen asleep in her seat, Lily staring up into the sky, counting the stars, Mary Cherry sitting on the edge of the diving board, singing to herself, Nicole watching something in the distance and Sam between Dean's legs. 

_What?_

* * *

-To be continued - 

* * *

  


Citation: 

**What can I do **  
[The Corrs; Lyrics: Andrea Corr (1997 Songs of Polygram International, Inc./Beacon Communications Music Co.), BMI]   
Produced by Jim Corr/Recorded by Leo Pearson at Peak studios; Dublin, Ireland /   
Keyboards by Jim Corr / Guitar by Jim Corr, Anto Drenman / Violin by Sharon Corr /   
Bohdram by Caroline Corr / Tin Whistle by Andrea Corr. 


	3. Chapter 3

Nicole stared at the two figures sitting across the pool. Sam was leaning back; resting against Dean and Dean had her arms wrapped comfortably around her. Her fingers lacing through Sam's and they were talking softly to each other. Nicole felt stunned, beside herself with jealousy and betrayed. 

"You sure you want to do this?" 

"Uh-huh…" 

"I still think it's a waste of time…" 

"You want her or not?" 

Dean sighed. "She doesn't have any feelings for me, Sam…" 

"You're wrong…" 

"Oh, since when did you become the expert on love?" Dean asked. 

"I'm not saying that I'm an expert…" Sam said, exasperated. "I'm just a sucker for romance and I happened to think that two people who really love each other should be together…" 

"What gave you the idea that she's in love with me?" 

"I've known Satan for ages, okay…." Sam said. "I can read her like a book…" 

"Oh, really?" Dean asked. 

Sam began trailing her finger along the hard planes of Dean's thigh. 

"Sam… What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

"Sshhh…" Sam whispered. "Nicole's watching and I'm pretty sure she's bristling right now… So, play along…" 

"Gee, and here I am thinking that you're hitting on me…" 

"If you get any naughty thoughts, McLeod… I'll shove your camera down your throat…" 

"Uh-huh…" Though the touch didn't cause much reaction, Dean deliberately closed her eyes as if enjoying the touch. 

Suddenly, they heard a whipping, whizzing sound and saw something hot pink sailing through the air towards them. Dean gave a surprised grunt as the soft spongy Turbofootball hit her right on her forehead. Sam picked it up and looked up to where it had came from and instead of finding Nicole, Brooke was standing across the pool, hands at her hips. Without a word, she marched into the house. 

"Err… What the hell just happened?" Sam asked. 

"I think we've got the wrong person jealous…" Dean chuckled. 

"What?" Sam turned to face her. 

"Brooke's jealous…" 

"No she's not…" Sam said. "Is she?" she then asked, suddenly feeling happy at the prospect of Brooke becoming jealous. 

"Yupe…" 

"Nah…" Sam dismissed the thought as wishful thinking. 

"I've been around women long enough to know how a green eyed monster can be like…" 

_Hmm… _Sam stared up at the window of Brooke's room. "Wait, is she jealous of you being with me or me being with you?" 

Dean looked at her in surprise. "Err… Never thought of it that way…" she said. 

"Do you think I should go after her?" Sam asked. 

"I don't know…" Dean said. "All this was your idea…" 

"Ah, shit!" Sam said as she got to her feet and went bounding off towards the house 

Dean shook her head in amusement. But when her gaze turned back to the other side of the pool, she felt a pain in her chest. Nicole was watching them indeed but her expression was blank. No sign of emotion, none whatsoever. Feeling completely crushed and defeated, she turned her attention to waking up Carmen and getting Lily to stand up steadily. 

"Let's go girls…" 

"Go where?" Carmen asked drowsily. 

"Inside… It's getting a bit cold…" Dean said as she guided the two girls towards the path leading to the kitchen. After making sure that the two made it safely into the house, Dean went back to the pool for the still singing Texan. 

* * *

-To be continued - 

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Sam came to a skidding stop in front of Brooke's room. But she was not in her room. Suddenly, Sam heard the sound of water running from the bathroom. And that's where she found Brooke. She was at the sink, splashing water on her face. 

"What are you looking at?" 

"Your hangover…" Sam smiled. "I can see it from here…" 

Brooke tossed her towel into the laundry basket. Sam was blocking the door, so she stopped in front of her. At the advantage of a good few inches taller, Brooke raised herself to her full height as she regarded Sam under irate eyes. 

"Mind moving yourself out of my way?" she asked gruffly. 

"Why are you mad?" 

"I'm not …" Brooke replied. "And even if I am, it certainly would not have concerned you…" 

"Tell me what's wrong, Brooke…" 

"Damn you!" Brooke raged in desperation. "Leave me alone!" 

Sam continued to stand there patiently. 

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you…" 

"Look, Sam…" Brooke said in resignation. "My head feels like it'd been ran over by a steamroll… So, if you don't mind…" 

Sam stepped back giving way for Brooke to step out. 

"You forgot this…" 

Brooke turned to her. She looked at the pink ball for a moment, before reaching up to take it. 

"You've got one hell of an arm …" Sam said. 

"Waving the damn pom-pom everyday is not such as waste then…" 

"Surprised the hell out of Dean…" Sam chuckled. "It hit her right between the eyes…" 

At the mention of Dean's name, Brooke stiffened again. 

"You don't like Dean do you?" Sam asked carefully. 

"I don't have anything against her…" _Except the fact that she's been cuddling the person I'm in love with. _

"Then what's with the ball just now…" Sam followed Brooke into her room. 

Brooke sat down at her vanity table. "I don't like what she's doing to you…" 

Sam frowned. "What she's doing to me?" she asked. "What are you talking about?" 

"You know what I'm talking about…" 

"Brooke, really… I don't have a clue to what you're talking about…" 

Brooke tugged at her hair. "Treating you like that…" 

"Like what?" 

"Like the two of you are lovers… Cuddling, hugging, whispering… " 

Involuntarily Sam smiled. Not because of the memory but because of the ruckus it had created. Unfortunately, Brooke mistook the smile. 

"For god's sake, Sam!" she exploded. "You're not gay!" 

Sam stared at her. "Are you homophobic?" she asked. 

Brooke seemed to be caught off guard with the question. "No, I'm not…" she said. 

"You sure?" 

"Sam…" 

"Are you really sure?" Sam asked ignoring Brooke's protest. 

"Yes…" Brooke said. "But…" 

"Good…" Sam said. "Cause I'm gay…" 

Brooke was speechless. Her mouth opened and shut a few times before she could come up with… 

"Oh…" 

Deciding that Brooke had enough surprise for tonight, Sam walked to the door. "I'm gonna call pizza for dinner… Wanna join us?" she asked. 

Brooke just nodded absently still processing the news. 

Dean sat on the stool in the kitchen staring at the black liquid swirling in her mug. The others were in the living room, getting ready for a movie marathon. The intro music from the movie 'Bring It On' came floating in. Dean smiled. She had watched that movie several times but only for one sole reason… Her grin widened. 

"You make it a habit smiling to yourself?" 

Nicole watched the smile vanished but when she looked up again, she was grinning. 

"You look happy…" Nicole said as she came to stand in front of the peninsula. 

"I am happy…" 

"Any particular reason why?" 

"Carwash… blue bikini…" Dean said. 

Nicole frowned. "What?" 

"Never mind…" Dean chuckled. "You wouldn't understand anyway…" 

"Hmm… Whatever…" 

"Want some coffee?" Dean asked gesturing at the steaming pot. 

"Did you make it?" 

Dean nodded. 

"In that case, no thank you…" 

Dean cocked up an eyebrow. Then she nodded. "Let me guess, drinking coffee together would mean you're associating with me and we can't have that can we…" 

That stung but Nicole chose to ignore the comment. 

"Your coffee taste like tar…" 

The eyebrow went up again. 

"I've had the _pleasure_ of drinking coffee at your place…" Nicole said making a face at the mention of the word 'pleasure'. 

"Oh, you stayed long enough to drink some?" 

Sam chose that moment to come down from the stairs. She saw the two talking and grinned. She went over to them. 

"If you can spare her for a moment…" she said to Nicole and turned Dean to face her. 

"Thank you…" she said planting a kiss on each of Dean's cheek. 

Dean stared at her blankly. "You're welcome?" 

"You better keep an eye on this one Satan…" Sam said to Nicole. "Or I might just have her for myself…" 

Dean continued to stare as Sam headed towards the living room. Then she turned to Nicole. 

"If you excuse me…" 

Without waiting for an answer, Dean followed Sam. 

_I am gay_

How could that be? What am I suppose to do now? It was easy to deny these feelings when I know, well when I thought that she's straight. Knowing that no matter how much I love her, she wouldn't be able to feel the same way that I do… but now… How am I going to deny it anymore…? 

"Brooke McQueen…" She said to her reflection. "You've got it bad…" 

* * *

-To be continued - 

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 5 ]

* * *

"B?" 

Nicole stuck her head inside of Brooke's bedroom to find her staring at the mirror. 

Shaking her head out of reverie, Brooke smiled. "Yeah…" She then tossed the pink ball she had been holding on her bed. "Come on in…" 

"Where did you get the ball?" Nicole asked. 

"Found it near the pool…" 

"What's with the target practice?" 

"Are you staying for the night?" Brooke asked clearly avoiding the question. 

Nicole noticed the evasion but she didn't say anything – which is out of character but lately she had been really out of it … ever since that dark haired… 

"Nic?" Brooke looked at her curiously. "Anything wrong?" she asked. "You look pale…" 

"Yeah, I'm just… Ermm… Cold…" Nicole began to rummage through her overnight bag. 

"So, are you staying?" 

"Those people downstairs are having a sleepover aren't they…" 

"I think so…" 

"Then, I won't leave you all alone with all those vultures…" 

Brooke smiled and reached out for her hairbrush while Nicole began removing various things she needed for her bath. 

"Nic…" 

"Hmm?" 

"What would you do if you found out someone's gay?" 

A bottle of Clairol Herbal Essence shampoo crashed down with a thud, as Nicole turned in surprise. "Huh? What?" 

"How would you react if you found out that someone whom you thought were as straight as a lamppost is gay?" 

"Err… Well, I… I…" Nicole flustered. "Are we talking about anyone I know?" 

"Yes…" Brooke turned serious. 

Nicole swallowed hard. _She knows…! How the hell could she have known? Spam! That's the only link! I swear I'm gonna take her tongue out and nail it to the floor…_

"Someone close to you?" 

Brooke nodded. 

"I was meaning to tell you…" Nicole sighed. "But I don't know how…" 

"You knew and you didn't tell me?" Brooke said, shocked. "Why?" 

"It's not exactly something that you could just drop into a casual conversation…" Nicole rambled on. "I was confused, okay… And I was scared…" 

Brooke frowned. "You're confused and scared cause Sam's gay?" 

"What?!" Nicole nearly screeched. "Spam's gay?" 

"Yeah, she just came out to me…" 

"Oh…" 

"Exactly… 'OH'…" Brooke said. "… I think Dean might have something to do with it…" 

"Dean?" 

"Yeah, you saw how cozy those two are… I have this feeling that they're…" Brooke paused. "Well, you know… a couple…" 

"They're not…" Nicole said quietly. 

"How do you know?" Brooke asked. 

"Dean already has someone…" 

"Really? Who?" 

"Some girl… You don't know her…" 

"Then how did Sam become gay?" Brooke asked. "I mean do people just wake up one morning and decide – Hell, I'm gonna be gay today?" 

"It's more complicated than that, B…" 

"Then, how? I'm curious…" 

"Well, I am _so not_ the person you should be asking…" Nicole said, managing to sound blasé. 

"You're right…" Brooke said. _The only person who has the answer is the brown-eyed brunette…_

"What are you guys watching?" Sam asked as she plunk down on the couch. 

"Bring It On…" Carmen answered. 

"Again?" 

"It's my favorite movie…" Carmen said. 

"Yeah, sure… A bunch of retards running and jumping around in short skirt and skanky pants… Really interesting…" 

"Hey, cheerleading is practically a sport!" Mary Cherry slurred, eyes half closed. 

"Go back to sleep, Mary Cherry…" Carmen said, patting the Blondie on the back. 

"I've called for pizza…" Sam said. 

"Veggie?" Lily asked. 

"Yes, that too…" 

"Can I talk to you…?" 

Sam looked up to see Dean standing behind the couch. 

"Yeah, sure…" 

"In private…" 

"Let's go up to my room…" 

"What was that all about?" Dean asked as soon as the door closes behind them 

"What's what all about?" Sam asked. 

"The kiss? The thank you?" Dean said. "I'd like to know on what I'm taking the credits for…" 

"For giving me the courage…" Sam said. 

Dean cocked up an eyebrow. 

"I told her…" 

"What do you mean you told her?" Dean asked. "You told Brooke you're in love with her?" 

"I came out to her…" 

"By telling that you love her?" 

"No, I just told her that I'm gay…" 

"Why?" 

"Of all people, I wouldn't have guessed that question would come out from you…" Sam said. 

"I didn't mean it that way…" Dean said. 

"I just thought that the time was right…" Sam said. 

"What did she say?" 

"Oh…" Sam made it sound exactly like Brooke said it. 

"That's it…?" 

Sam nodded. 

"And that makes you happy?" 

"Sort of…" Sam said. "I don't know why I'm happy, okay… I just am…" 

"You're crazy you know that…" 

"Come to think of it, so do you…" 

"What?" 

"Falling for the Spawn of Satan is not exactly something a sane person would do…" 

Dean stared at her. "I don't think I like you anymore…" she said, making a face. 

"I'm joking okay…" Sam said. "Sheesh… You're really sensitive when it comes to Satan…" 

"You're right…" Dean said suddenly. 

"About what?" 

"I've made up my mind…" Dean said as she stuffed her hands in her pockets and squared her shoulders. 

"About what?" 

"I'm gonna start locking my door from now on…" 

"What?" 

"Thanks for making me realize that…" Dean said. "From now on, no more free visits…" 

"Whoa, whoa…" Sam said, suddenly getting a bad feeling. "You gonna dump Satan?" 

"I don't think dump is the right word…" Dean said. "We never actually had a relationship… Just 'wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am'" 

"So you're dumping her?" 

"It's about time…" 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 6 ]

* * *

The pizza arrived and they all sat down in the living room. Sam wasn't sure who had arranged the seating, but she found herself sitting in between Dean and Brooke. Although Brooke didn't voice her protest verbally, Sam could feel her reluctance when she gave Nicole an odd look. 

Nicole in turn shot Sam a deadly look. Sam couldn't say for sure but she could have sworn Nicole had actually growled at her. 

_Okay, can't blame her though… I did put on a show with Dean to make her jealous. What was I thinking anyway? I just had a talk with her and after that went out to cuddle her girlfriend? Doesn't make sense does it? But I had to help my friend… Is Dean right? Was I wrong? Is she really a heartless bitch, incapable of having pure feelings? But she's looking at me like she's about to swallow me whole or something… if that's not jealousy, then what is it? _

Why? Why does it have to be Sam?? Okay, serves me right for denying my feelings. Serves me right for always being hostile to Sam. Serves me right for picking fights and making her hate me… But, how else can I get her attention without raising suspicions? 

I'll get you, Spam. You totally had me with all that crap about me getting soft. Well, after I'm done pounding you into pulp… We'll see who's soft! 

Eliza in a bikini… yay! Huh, watch the drool… 

"Look at us…" Carmen said in an attempt to make small talk. "Together like this… Who would have thought…?" 

Nobody made any comment. Carmen turned to Lily and raised her eyebrows. Lily just shrugged. They stared at the quartet. 

Brooke kept giving weird glances at Sam and Dean. 

Nicole shooting daggers at Sam. 

Sam staring intensely at her plate with her tongue darting everywhere in her cheek 

Dean was glued to the TV set. 

"So, what did you think of the last Tyson fight?" 

That finally made all of them looked up. 

"Huh? What?" Sam asked. 

"Wouldn't know, luv…" Dean said. 

"Didn't know you like boxing…" Lily said. 

"Leo made me watch with him…" Carmen answered. 

"How's your brother by the way, Carm?" Brooke asked. "The last time I saw him was the time when he came back with Sam in his arms…" 

Sam turned red at the memory. 

"He's fine…" Carmen said. 

"What 'Sam in his arms'?" Dean asked. 

"It's a long story, Dean…" Sam said. 

"Yeah, like I have anywhere to go…" Dean cocked an eyebrow at her. "Come on, spill… I know everything there is about your girlfriend… Tell me about your boyfriends…" 

_Girlfriend? _Brooke's head snapped to her. 

Sam smiled sheepishly. "He wasn't my boyfriend…He's just… my tennis instructor…" 

"I had a crush on my Archery coach but he didn't carry me back home…" Dean said. 

"My leg cramped, okay… So, I asked him to take me home…" 

"A damsel in distress tactic? Never thought you'd go that low…" 

"Desperate people do desperate things…" Nicole said. 

"Well, at least I didn't jump him in the library…" Sam replied. 

Dean nearly choked on her drink. 

"You okay there?" Lily asked. 

"Wrong pipe that's all…" Dean said. 

Sam giggled. "Well, I'm not into that anymore…" 

"They all know?" Brooke whispered so that only Sam would hear. 

"You mean whether they know that I'm gay?" Sam asked not bothering to lower her voice. 

Brooke nodded. 

"Yeah, they're among the first to know…" Sam said. "But not the parental… Don't go telling them yet…I know my mom would have a fit…" 

"And you guys are okay with it?" Brooke looked at the others. 

"Yeah… Why not?" Carmen asked. "She's still Sam right? Not some two headed monster…" 

"Funny, I always thought she _is_ a monster…" Nicole said. 

"At least she's willing to admit what she is…" Dean said out loud to no one in particular for her eyes is still on the TV. "And not dunking in the dark to avoid other people knowing…" 

"You sounded as if it happened to you…" Carmen said. 

"Nah, I'm born like this… I'm gay-blooded…" Dean said. 

"Say that in front of Glass and she'll have you under a microscope for sure…" Carmen laughed. 

"Not to worry…" Dean grinned. "If she decided to dissect me, I think I can count on Lily here to save my life…" 

"Oh, well, I need a new handbag anyway…" Lily said with a shrug. 

"You mentioned about a girlfriend…" Brooke prodded. 

"Yeah, Sam…" Lily said, playfully. "Tell Brooke about your girlfriend…" 

Sam turned into several shades of red before saying. "What girlfriend?" 

"Now, come on Sam…" Carmen decided to gang up on her. "You hadn't been able to stop talking about her from the day you met her…" 

"I don't know what you're talking about…" 

"You know… The girl… Tall, blonde…" 

"Okay, okay…" Sam cut Carmen off before she went on and described Brooke bluntly in front of her face. "But she's not my girlfriend…not yet anyway…" 

"Who is she?" Brooke asked. Then, as if catching herself short, she shrugged. "If you don't mind me asking…" 

"I can't tell you…" Sam smiled wearily. "She doesn't even know I exist…Well, not in the way that I want her to know…" 

"What do you mean?" 

For some reason, the others just sat quietly watching the two talk. 

"We've known each other for a long time but until only recently, I discovered my feelings for her… And she doesn't know yet…" 

"You didn't tell her?" 

"What? You want me to go up to her and say – 'I'm in love with you… Would you be my girlfriend'…?" Sam looked straight into Brooke's eyes. 

Brooke blinked at the words. _I'm in love with you… _It echoed in her head so loud she was afraid the others would hear it too. 

"I… I … think that would totally freak me - I mean her out…" 

"Exactly…" Sam said. "That's why I hadn't done anything… Just go with the flow so to speak…" 

Dean got up suddenly. "Can I use you phone for awhile?" she asked. 

"Yeah, sure…" Sam said. "Whom do you wanna call?" 

"Claire…" 

"The love of your life?" Carmen asked. 

"She thinks so…" 

"Pardon?" 

Dean grinned but she didn't provide them with any explanation. 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	7. Chapter 7

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 7 ]

* * *

"Where are you now?" 

Nicole studied the figure leaning against the peninsula with her back to her. The dark brown hair with hints of red streaks in different lightings, the clear bronzed skin and the wide shoulders. Nicole knew every curve and corner of the lean, lithe body and suspected she must have had spent some time in the gym for it had given her a buffed -but not in an overly muscled look and as she moved around, the muscles in her shoulder and biceps contracted, stretching taut against the material of her jersey. 

"I'm at a friend's house…" 

Dean chuckled at something the person on the other line was saying. 

"A friend, Claire… Honest! I don't do that stuff anymore…." 

Nicole pressed closer. 

"An hour…? Okay… If you get to the house before I do, the key's at its usual place…" 

She listened. 

"Yeah, yeah… Love you too…" 

Dean hung up and turned. Then, she saw Nicole standing at the doorway. She smiled and continued to walk out, happily tossing the cordless phone in the air. 

"Whom were you talking to?" 

Dean stopped. "Claire…" she answered. 

"Who is she? I never heard you mention anyone by that name…" Nicole said. 

"What is it to you?" 

"Nothing…" Nicole shrugged. "Just curious…" 

"Hmm…" the corner Dean's lips twitched but she didn't say anything else. 

_God, I hate those eyes… Eyes that could melt, eyes that you could just drown in… It was those eyes that landed me in this shit in the first place… Two brilliant orbs flashing in annoyance… _

A shudder ran through her as her gaze moved over her face, lingering on her soft full lips. Nicole felt like screaming, laughing or weeping – or a combination of all three. Try as she may, she still couldn't deny the feelings Dean was capable to arouse in her. And as the brown eyes dropped to leisurely study the thrusting curves of her breast beneath the clinging fabric of her baby tee, the all too familiar feeling started to creep up. 

"Make way! Make way!" 

Mary Cherry came crashing between them and headed to the sink. 

Dean watched as Nicole went to tend to her friend. She raised Mary Cherry's hair out of the way as the other blonde girl started to splash water on her face. She looked around for something and when she spotted what she was looking for, she left Mary Cherry for a while and went on to fix a glass of water. She then began mixing spoonfuls of a white substance she got from the kitchen shelf. Dean frowned as she handed the strange mixture to Mary Cherry. 

She took a mouthful, then gagged and spat it out into the sink. 

"Nic! That's salt…" Mary Cherry screeched. "What are you trying to do to me?" 

"Salt helps you absorb water. It's a quick cure for dehydration…" 

Dean didn't know whether that was true or not but as she stood there watching the two, watching Nicole for the first time displaying the softer side of her, the caring side… The side that Dean had begun to think did not even exist… She knew right there and then, she love Nicole Julian. 

_Ah, fuck!_

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 8 ]

* * *

Nicole stared at the phone resting on the table. The others were all still watching the TV. _ Is there really a Claire_? The phone has a redial button and all she had to do was push it and she would know the truth of the existence of the woman called Claire. She glanced at the others. No one was looking at her. 

She picked up the phone and hit the redial button. 

A few rings passed. Then… 

_"Hello?"_

A woman's voice. 

_"Hello? Is that you Dean? Come on luv, don't play games I'm driving here…"_

Nicole stood perfectly still as the voice penetrated her mind. Then she tore the receiver away from her ear and looked at it as if it had just grown teeth. 

_"Dean? Hello? Hello?"_

The voice crackled out from the receiver. Then the line went dead. 

********************* 

She reached for the door handle, expecting it to be unlocked like always but the door didn't budge. She frowned. But then, the door flew open. 

"Nicole…" 

The tone of her voice hit Nicole with a sharp force. 

"What are you doing here?" 

"I…" 

Nicole searched for a reason but none came up. Dean had never asked her out loud why she came… 

"Baby, you seriously need to have that leaky faucet fixed…" 

Both turned. Walking out from the bathroom was a woman clad only in a towel. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Nicole. 

"Oh, sorry… Didn't know you had company…" the woman said. 

The towel could barely hide a stunning figure in all its glory, from full high breasts, narrow hips and gentle curving hips, to long shapely legs. She looked to be at the same height as Nicole but Nicole suspected she was older as there was a ripe sexuality about her that made her seem like a plush fruit ready to be plucked. 

"Claire, Nicole…" Dean said. "Nicole, Claire…" 

"Hello…" Claire smiled. 

She must have said something appropriate as the other woman was still smiling as Nicole cringed inwardly. 

"Would you like something to drink?" 

Claire asked as she wrapped herself in a robe that Nicole recognized as Dean's. Something about the casualness and familiarity of the other woman's movement around Dean and the house disturbed her. 

"Nicole's not staying…" Dean retorted. 

Nicole's gaze flew up to her. The brown eyes betrayed none of the emotion the owner was having but the expression was devastatingly obvious. She took a step back. 

"Right…" she stammered. "I better get going then… Sorry for interrupting…" 

"It was nice to meet you…" Claire called out to the retreating girl. 

Dean rests her forehead against the hard wood of the door feeling like she had just taken a nosedive into a bottomless pit. 

"Friend of yours?" Claire asked as she began to dry her hair with a towel. 

"You could say that…" Dean murmured. 

Claire watched as Dean sighed heavily and pushed herself off the door. Brooding had been one of Dean's trademarks but melancholic, now that is new. 

"Wanna tell me about it?" she asked. 

Dean smiled wearily. "There's nothing to tell…" 

"Lying had never been one of your virtues…" Claire said. "You're so bad at it…" 

Dean sighed and ran her fingers in her hair. "She's the girl I've been telling you about…" 

"The Devil Impersonated?" Claire asked. "My, you didn't tell me she was a knock out… No wonder you haven't been able to say no…" 

"I just turned her away didn't I…?" 

"That's cause I'm here…" 

"One Lucifer's descendant is all I can handle per night…" Dean said. 

Claire laughed. 

Nicole walked out of the elevator, leaving the building with its flaking wallpaper without even being aware of it. Somehow, she managed to get to her car and sat in silence. The expressions on Dean's face were imprinted in her mind. She had seem aloof, uncaring even annoyed at her presence. But, if she was honest, what could she expect? 

The persistent tapping on her window made her look up. A pair of familiar dark brown eyes was peering at her in concern. For a moment, her heart leapt with joy at the thought of Dean had followed her down. But the eyes belonged to an unfamiliar face. 

"Are you okay?" the woman asked. 

Nicole nodded, feeling that she was not a threat. 

"Do you have any problem with your car?" 

"No, no…" 

"You want any help?" 

"No, it's okay… I'm just leaving…" Nicole said and she started her engine. 

The woman stepped back and smiled. 

_Why is the smile so familiar? And the eyes?_

Nicole gave herself a mental shaking and smiled back as she hastily shifted the car into gear and drove off. 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 9 ]

* * *

Sam opened her eyes to find an unfamiliar ceiling looking down at her. She blinked a few times, disoriented before realizing she was sleeping on the living room floor. She stretched herself and sat up. Rubbing her eyes, she saw the night's marathon had totally wiped out the rest of the gang as they slept haphazardly around the living room. She turned and saw Brooke sleeping soundly on the couch. Sam smiled. She got up to her feet and stood gazing at the sleeping beauty below her. 

"Brooke, wake up…" she shook her shoulder gently. 

No movement. 

"Brooke…!" she shook harder. 

"Hmmm… " Was the only delicious respond she got. 

Sam bent down, hovering above Brooke and poked her shoulder. 

Suddenly, Brooke's arms shot up and wrapped itself around Sam's neck. Caught of guard, Sam fell right on top of her but still she didn't open her eyes. 

She didn't appear to know what she was doing. She must be dreaming. But that did not stop Sam from enjoying the feeling of Brooke pinned underneath her. Before she could stop herself, she grinds her hips against Brooke's. 

A low moan escaped from Brooke and Sam froze, terrified that she would wake up. A moment passed and the eyes did not open. Sam bit back a chuckle and grew bolder. She stroked her cheek, enjoying the feel of her skin in contact with hers. She traced the outline of Brooke's jaw, up her nose, around her lips, with the tip of her finger. 

_This is too good to be true._

"Uh, Sammy…" Brooke's breathing became shallow and rapid. 

Sam quickly retracted her hand…_ Wait, her eyes still closed… She's still sleeping…_

"Sammy, please…" She bucked under her. 

Sam's jaw dropped right down onto the floor. Suddenly, there was a flutter of movements and the eyelids flew open. Sam found herself staring into Brooke's blue ones. 

It took a while for her vision to adjust but then, she found herself staring into a pair of amazingly brown eyes. Her breath warm against her cheek. 

"Uh... Sam… What do you think you're doing? Brooke croaked. 

Sam swallowed hard. "Who? Me?" she asked innocently. "I don't know… My arms is not the one around your neck…" 

Brooke's eyes widened when she realized the situation they were in and she colored. She untangled her arms from around Sam and quickly sat up. So did Sam. 

Both sat quietly at each end of the couch. Brooke not knowing what exactly had taken place although she distinctively remember dreaming and calling out for Sam, she was hoping, well, _praying_ that she didn't say it out loud while Sam, was wondering if _she_ was the one dreaming. 

"I…" Both started. Then both smiled sheepishly. 

"I better go upstairs and take a bath…" Brooke said. 

"Hmm…" Sam nodded without looking up. "I'll… Erm… Wake the others…" 

Brooke glanced at Sam before running up to her room, she was staring down at her hands. 

When Sam felt that Brooke was safely up the stairs and into her room, she sank back onto the sofa and covered her face with a pillow and let out a muffled cry. 

_Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!_

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	10. Chapter 10

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 10 ]

* * *

The screeching brake made them turn. Dean frowned when she recognized the car as Sam's. Soon enough, the brunette came bounding out. 

"Dean…" Sam paused. She saw the two strangers standing beside Dean. 

"Sam, what are you doing here so early?" 

"I kinda need to talk to you…" Sam said. "But, if you're busy…" 

"We're just heading for breakfast…" Dean said. "This is Claire and Tess…" she pointed to her two companion. "Guys, this is Sam…" 

"Hi…" Sam smiled. 

"Hello…" two identical lopsided grins answered back. 

_Identical? _

Sam frowned but she didn't want to think about that right now. She has other urgent matters. 

"Wanna join us?" Dean was asking her. 

Sam blinked. "Oh, I kinda promised the others I'd have breakfast with them…" she said. "I slipped out for a while cause I need to talk to you…" 

Dean noted the urgency in the voice and the toothy smile that she had come to recognize as Sam's indication of nervousness. 

"Claire, Tess… You guys go ahead… I'll ride with Sam…" She said. "If you don't mind dropping me off…" She looked at Sam. 

Sam nodded. "Yeah, sure…" 

"I'll see you guys at the mall…" 

"Okay, talk…" Dean said as Sam eased the car into the morning traffic. 

"It's about Brooke…" 

"So what else is new…?" 

"I'm serious…" Sam said and she proceeded to tell Dean what happened that morning. 

Dean stared at her for a while before bursting out laughing. 

"Dean!" 

"You sure she was dreaming? Maybe she's playing you…" 

"I don't know!" Sam wailed. "That's the problem. Her eyes were closed…" 

"Did you talk to her?" 

"And say what? That I think she had a wet dream and she said my name?" Sam asked. "She'll kick me right to Timbuktu…" 

"I think you need to talk to her…" 

"Talk about what?" 

"Whatever it is that she dreamt about…" 

"How the hell can I go up to her and ask her to talk to me about her dreams?" 

"Well, you could tell her some of yours…" 

"Very funny, Dean…" Sam glared at her. "She's not supposed to have dreams about me… I mean she's not gay… She couldn't possibly be gay… She slept with Josh for god's sake!" 

"You know, she could be bisexual…" 

"Okay, helping! You're supposed to be helping!" 

Dean laughed. "Look, the only way you can find out is to talk to her…" 

***************************

The loud slam turned a few heads. Sam ignored the questioning looks as she marched towards the school. She made her way down the long hallway in long angry strides. 

"Sam!" 

"What?" She snapped. 

"Whoa! Someone woke up at the wrong side of the bed…" 

She sighed when she saw it was Dean. "Oh, it's you… Sorry…" 

Dean adjusted her backpack while raising a questioning eyebrow. "What's with you?" 

"Have you ever noticed that there are too many people in this world?" 

"Huh?" 

"I mean… All I need is a couple of minutes with her but no… Someone just had to show up at the house and ruin everything…" 

"Ah…"Dean nodded as she finally understood why Sam was so angry. "I take it you didn't have that talk with Brooke…" 

"Tell me how am I suppose to talk to her when the parental keep yakking about their trip, then she spent hours on the phone talking about the latest nail polish that Gwyneth Paltrow wore in The Royal ten- whatever-bomb… " 

_Tennanbaums… _Dean only corrected her mentally since she felt that if she'd interrupted her rant, she'd earn a black eye for sure. 

"Then her relatives from nowhere suddenly popped up and had to come for a visit… And of all people, Satan had to come and spent the night with her…" 

Sam turned abruptly that Dean stepped back, worried that she would take a swing at her. 

"Why is Satan spending the night at my house?" she asked. 

"Errr… To play makeovers?" 

"Why isn't she at your place? Isn't she's supposed to be at your place?" 

"Sam…" Dean murmured. "Lower your voice…" 

"Tell me, what did you do to her?" 

"I thought we're talking about you and Brooke…" Dean said. 

"I didn't get to talk with Brooke because of you…" 

"Why me?" Dean asked. 

"Because you did something to Satan that night when she went after you… When she came back looking like she had swallowed a chunk of chalk…" 

Sam's voice was getting increasingly elevated as she continued to speak, and Dean was certain that soon she'd hit a decibel beyond human hearing. 

"Sam, you're going hyper…" Dean said. 

"What did you do to her?" 

"I didn't do anything…" Dean said. "She stayed less than five minutes…" 

"Five minutes? Maybe that's it…" Sam said. "She's unsatisfied… Now go and find her and do whatever it is that you always do so that she'll go home to her own house tonight…" Sam turned Dean around and pushed against her. 

"Jesus, Sam…" Dean said, planting her feet firmly to the ground. "Get a grip!" 

Sam stopped. "God, I'm so fucked up!" she groaned. "I just… I want to get this over with… " 

"I know you do…" Dean said quietly. "Look, if you want… I'll take Nicole away for a while so that you can talk to Brooke… Okay?" 

"No…" Sam shook her head. "Not here at school, I can't possibly talk to her privately here…" 

"Fine… After school… I'll talk to Nicole while you talk to Brooke…" 

"Nicole won't talk to you in public…" 

"_Don't_ bloody remind me…" Dean gritted. 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 11 ]

* * *

Brooke leaned against the car patiently waiting for her friend. What was keeping Nicole? She was usually the first one out the door when the bell rings. 

"Brooke…" 

She looked up and fought the urge to jump in glee. Instead, she flashed one of her polite smiles. 

"Sam…" she said short. 

Sam's finger couldn't stop fiddling with the strap of her bag. "Are you waiting for Satan?" 

"Yeah, have you seen her?" 

"I think I saw her heading to Principal Hall's office…" Sam said. 

"Hall's office? Why?" Brooke asked. 

Sam shrugged. "I don't know…" she said. "Erm… If you don't want to wait, you can ride with me…" 

*************************** 

Storming out of Principal Hall's office, Nicole fumed at being duped. 

_Wait till I get my hands on the dirt eating Tuna! I'll wring the life out of that bugger…_

Nicole hurried towards her car, shifting her books to her left hand as she searched in her designer handbag for her keys. 

"Damn!" she breathed. She made her way across the parking lot. She froze when she saw Dean standing beside her car. Cool, brown eyes regarded her nonchalantly as she made her way to her. Then, last night's event started to rush back at her. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

"Waiting for you…" Came the lazy reply. 

Acting on reflex whenever she found herself talking to one of the 'unpopular', Nicole glanced around making sure no one was watching. 

Dean scoffed. "Don't worry, none of your rich socially acceptable friends are watching…" 

Nicole's fair complexion bloomed with annoyance. "What do you want?" 

Dean shrugged. "Just to give you a message from Brooke… She went home with Sam…" 

"Fine…" 

Dean stared at her for a moment. "Right…" she said pushing herself off the car. She began to walk away. Her job's here is done. 

_ No need to tell her about flirting May Tuna's socks off so that she would tell Nicole, Hall wanted to see her. Brooke's with Sam… End of story… Well, if Sam's able to conjure up the courage to actually confess to Brooke that is…Now, just get away, far away from this delectable… delicious… sexy… err… Spawn of Satan… Descendant of Lucifer… Devil Impersonated…_

"Who is she…?" 

She turned back, puzzled. "Who's who?" 

"Claire…" 

"What do you want to know for?" Dean asked. 

Nicole shrugged "Like I said… I'm curious…" 

She was staring at her. Although the gaze was more searching and puzzled, it still did crazy things to Nicole's heartbeat. She wanted to lift her hand and lay it against her hard jaw and to trace the line of those sensual lips. Her shirt collar was open at the throat and she wanted to touch the pulsing nerve just above her collarbone. Even the scent of her perfume – which she recognized with delight as one of her favorite, Giorgio Armani's Aqua Di Gio – was teasing her senses, inviting her closer. 

"Give me your car keys…" 

"What?" 

"This is not the place to talk…" 

Nicole handed her the keys wordlessly and climbed into the passenger's side. Dean got behind the wheels and started the engine. Nicole didn't have the faintest idea to where they were going but neither did she care. 

The breeze lightly teased Dean's thick hair. Although it was cut and styled to lie flat at the sides, it was long enough at the nape to brush her shirt collar, just long enough, Nicole reflected wistfully, for a woman's fingers to slide through it. Her fingers. Tearing her gaze away from her profile, she pushed her sunglasses down onto her nose and turned her head to gaze out at the passing scenes. 

Dean slowed and turned off the tarmac, easing the car up the dirt road until they came to a turning circle where she parked. Nicole stared at the high-rise building under construction in front of them. 

"Where are we?' she asked. 

"Someplace where no one can hear or see us…" Dean answered as she climbed out of the car. 

Nicole got out too and watched as Dean made her way to her side and leaned her hips casually on the hood behind her. Putting a cigarette between her lips, she flipped a lighter with a sharp flick of the wrist. 

"I didn't know you smoke…" 

Brown eyes squinted at her against the aromatic smoke drifting up from the cigarette. 

"There's a lot of thing you don't know, Nicole …" 

"It could kill you…" 

Dean chuckled. "What's this? Show of concern over my mortal insignificant life?" 

"Stop that…!" 

An eyebrow cocked up. "Stop what?" 

"Sounding like an ass…" 

"What can I say…?" Dean shrugged. "You bring out the worst in me…" 

The blue eyes narrowed sharply but she didn't make any comments. 

"Why are we here?" 

"I thought you wanted to talk…" 

"Okay, then tell me who Claire is…" 

"Not until you tell me why you want to know…" 

"I'm…" Nicole stopped herself. "I'm curious…" 

"So you keep telling me… But why are you curious?' 

Nicole looked down at her shoes. She frowned at the dust forming at the tip of her new Jimmy Choo's. 

"I don't want to share you…" 

The answer was barely audible that Dean had to strain to hear her. It wasn't exactly the respond she was expecting. Nicole balking and fighting she knows how to handle, Nicole whispering and lowering her voice, well, that had different effect entirely. 

"Good one, Nic… You almost had me there…" She said, "You made it sound as if I mattered…" 

"Dean…" 

"She's my sister…" 

"What?" 

"She's my sister…" Dean repeated flicking the cigarette butt. "Both my sisters are in town…" 

It was then that the resemblance began to take place. Nicole recalled the night she met Claire. She realized now, that Claire and Dean had the same hair color. And the girl in the parking lot... Although her hair was lighter, leaning more towards dark blonde but she shared the same eyes with Dean, right with the same mischievous glint. And all three had the same lopsided smile. 

_No wonder it seemed so familiar…_

Nicole practically ran to her, crushing her in a tight embrace. Vastly relieved of the revelation. 

It took all strength in Dean's part not to succumb when, she felt Nicole's lips against the skin of her neck, her warm mouth nuzzling the sensitive areas, then slowly wandering upward along her neck to her ear. Her mouth left a burning trail of kisses up to her temple, and then slowly began to drift to her lips. 

"Dean…" Her hot breath teased her lips. "Kiss me…" 

Dean closed her eyes, steeling herself against the silky demand. 

"Please…" 

"No…" She whispered shakily. 

Nicole shrugged and began leisurely kissing her other cheek, standing at eye level because of her stiletto shoes; she stopped to linger sensuously at her ear. Her tongue tracing every curve and hollow, She nipped her earlobe, and Dean involuntarily lurched forward in a startled movement that jolted their bodies together. A current leaped between them and they both stiffened with the delicious shock of it. 

"Nicky…" Dean's voiced was raspy, wanting both to push Nicole as far away as possible and at the same time wanting to absorb her… "Please…" 

"Please what?" Nicole asked. "Please put us both out of this misery?" she teased as she slides her fingers in her hair. 

"No…" 

"No?" Nicole repeated silkily, raising her head. "You don't want to kiss me? Undress me and make love to me?" 

Her lips were so close that Dean was almost faint with the desire to feel them crushing against hers. 

"No…" It was more a statement directed at herself rather than to Nicole. 

"Why not?" 

"Because I love you…" 

Nicole jerked away from her as if burned. The look of horror and mortification flashed through her eyes and Dean saw it all. She sighed and shoved her hands into her jeans. 

"It's appalling isn't it?" She said. "The thought of me loving you… To want to be with you… The thought that I want you to love me back…" 

"I can't…" Nicole's voice was barely a whisper. 

"I know you can't…" Dean said. "That's why I'm ending this…" 

"But we're so good together…" Nicole turned to her. "Can't we just…?" 

"Fuck our brains out?" Dean cut her off. "Then what? Today we make love, but tomorrow we're no more than classmates who hates each other's guts, is that it?" 

"What the hell do you want from me?" Nicole exploded. 

_I want you to love me…_

"I don't want anything from you…" Dean said running shaky fingers through her hair in desolate reserve. 

"Admit it Nicole, you're miserable… What we have between us is misery… You can't even acknowledge me as a friend… You can't say a word to me in public without the fear someone was watching, that someone would point and say 'Nicole Julian is talking to a dyke'… You're afraid that any contact made would affect your popularity poll…" 

Nicole stared out into the empty space in front of her, arms wrapped around her body. She wanted to deny all of it. She wanted to tell her that all that was not true. But whom was she kidding? Popularity was what she sought; it was the only thing that mattered in her life… 

"Nothing good will come out of this… You're not gay and I know you don't want to be one… Let's just forget this ever happened. You can go back to your normal life, to your cheerleading and your throne at Kennedy High…" 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 12 ]

* * *

"This is nice isn't it?" 

The heady aromas of Italian cooking assailed their nostrils. The rich scent of fresh garlic, pungent Oregano and sweet tasting basil filled the air. 

Brooke smiled from across the table. The wax-laden bottles that adorned each tables and the single stemmed rose contributes to an intimate ambiance. 

"Yes, it is…" she agreed. "I've been here a few times, with dad and Josh…" 

Sam nodded. "I see…" 

Both fell into silence, each not knowing what to say to the other. 

"So, how's school?" 

Brooke raised her eyebrows. "Fine, I guess…" 

"Good…" 

"You?" 

"Never been better…" 

Again, an awkward silence descends. 

"The silence makes me feel like I'm on a date…" Brooke chuckled suddenly. 

Sam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Well, if it was a date, it wouldn't be so bad would it??" She said. "I mean, it's not as though we actually hate each other, is it?" 

"No…" 

"Would you like it to be a date…?" 

This time it was Brooke who was surprised. "What?" she stammered. 

Sam grinned. "Just kidding…" 

Their orders arrived, cutting short their already sparse conversation. Sam had chosen the house special, French-dip Sandwiches, a crusty loaf of French bread that had been sliced lengthwise and piled high with wafer-thin rare roast beef and served with little bowl of beef juice. 

"That looks delicious…" Brooke commented. 

Sam dipped one of the sandwiches in the juice and held it out to Brooke. "Wanna try it…?" 

Brooke was taken aback but then, she obliged the request. 

An electric shot surged through Sam as Brooke's lips brushed against the tip of her fingers. 

"Hmm…" Brooke nodded. "It's wonderful…" She looked down at her own plate that was filled with tiny baked stuffed tomatoes served with a crisp green salad. She couldn't describe the feeling that was engulfing her at that time; she found it hard to breath. 

"Why are we here, Sam?" she asked. "Don't get me wrong… It's not that I mind having Pomodori Alla Siciliano for lunch and you paying for it. But tell me, what is this all about?" 

"Brooke, if I were to ask you some questions…" Sam fidgeted in her seat. "Would you be honest with me?" 

"Well, it depends…" 

A dark eyebrow arched. 

"Am I going to read it in tomorrow's newspaper?" Brooke asked. 

Sam chuckled. "No… No… This has nothing to do with the paper…" she said. "It's kinda personal…" 

"Personal?" Brooke frowned. "Well, now you've got me intrigued…" 

"So, would you?" Sam asked. "Be honest I mean…" 

"Yeah, I guess so… Ask away…" 

Brooke watched curiously as Sam sat up straight in her seat as if preparing herself. 

"Do you have any problem with me being gay?" 

"I told you that I'm not homophobic…" Brooke said. "True, it was totally unexpected…" 

"I know, stupid of me to just drop it on your lap like that…I wasn't thinking…" 

"How long have you known?" Brooke asked and watched in pain as Sam smiled dreamily. 

"I don't know actually…" Sam said. She chuckled softly. "It took me by surprise… I feel in love with a girl… I never expected to fall for her…" 

"Is she the girl Lily was talking about last night?" 

"Yeah…" Sam answered. "It was crazy… The first time I saw her, I hated her. I used to watch her, follow her around just to find faults, but then I started to notice how her eyes lit up whenever she laughs, how the corner of her eyes wrinkled when she smiles, how she likes to tuck her hair behind her ears…" 

Brooke shifted uncomfortably in her seat. 

"I found myself developing feelings for her… I went to sleep with her on my mind… Dreamt about her… The first thing I thought of when I got up were her… Everyday, every hour…" 

_If she's going to tell me wet dreams she had about her blonde girlfriend, she's gonna eat plate…!_

"Good thing is we're living under the same roof…" 

"I see…" Brooke said absently. But then, she realized what Sam had said. Her head snapped up. "What?" 

"It's you Brooke…" Sam smiled nervously. "I'm in love with you…" 

Brooke stared at her speechless. 

"I know, you don't dig girls… You're straight…" Sam began flustering when Brooke just stared at her._ Oh, god! I was wrong… She doesn't like me… She doesn't feel the same way…_

"Look, I know it sounds crazy but I'm not expecting anything from you… I just want you to know…" Sam babbled on. "I know that you couldn't possibly feel the same way…" 

Brooke was staring at Sam's mouth but she was too preoccupied with her rant that she didn't notice it. 

"You know what I want to do right now?" Brooke asked. 

"What?" 

"Kiss you…" Brooke said with a grin. 

This time it was Sam who stared at her as if she had sprouted horns and a tail. 

"But, considering the fact that we're in a public place…" 

"Brooke, what are you saying?" Sam asked. 

"You're not the only who has a crush on your roomie…" 

"You're not trying to play me right?" Sam asked. 

"Me? No… Are you?" 

"Absolutely not…" 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	13. Chapter 13

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 13 ]

* * *

The trip home seemed to take forever. By the time the blue beetle swung into the parking space in front of the Palace, both girls shoved the door open and practically leaped out. As soon as the front door closed behind them, they couldn't contain themselves any longer. 

When Brooke walked into Sam's arms, she found herself crushed in some thick dark sweetness where the only feeling was of Sam's parted lips moving ceaselessly on hers, the only sensation, the waves of liquid heat that raced through her in the wake of her caressing hands. 

It seemed an eternity before they finally surfaced from the kiss. They both held on tight, unwilling to let go. Both hearts pounded violently in rhythm with each other. 

Brooke was utterly stunned by what had just transpired between them. She had been kissed more times than she could remember and she _had_ felt pleasure – but not with this mindless burst of joy followed by fierce longing. 

"Sam? Brooke? Is that you?" 

Jane came out to see the two girls standing awkwardly at the front door. Sam had her hands stuffed in her jeans pocket and rocking slowly on the balls of her feet while Brooke was smiling strangely. The first thought that entered her mind was that the two had had one of their famous bickering but there was no tension emitting from any of them, instead a strange serene expression was plastered on both girls. 

"You two okay?" 

Both nodded. 

"Have you had lunch?" 

More nods. 

"Everything is okay, I hope…" 

"Everything's fine, mom…" Sam said, mentally cursing herself for not noticing her mother's car. 

"I need some help in the kitchen…" 

Sam and Brooke turned to each other. 

"Can one of you…" 

"I'll help you, mom…" Sam said. 

When Jane had went back to the kitchen, Brooke grabbed Sam. 

"Sam…" she whispered hoarsely. 

Sam chuckled and planted a kiss lightly on her nose. "I'll just be a minute… Hold that thought…" 

When Sam walked into her bedroom a little while later, she found Brooke sitting on her bed, reading. That's a sight she had never dreamt would ever come true. Brooke on her bed. She grinned at her but then decided to play nonchalant. 

_As if…_

"What have you been up to?" she asked. 

For a moment, Brooke opened her mouth to protest. Then she closed it again. She wouldn't laugh. Instead, she shook her head slowly, letting her hair cascade over her shoulders, lowering her eyes demurely back to her book. 

"Oh, nothing... Just catching up on my reading...…" she said, her voice low. 

Sam smiled and sat down. She leaned over and brushed her lips lightly against hers. 

Brooke waited for the kiss to deepen but much to her chagrin, Sam didn't pursue the kiss. She got onto the bed, pulled up the blanket as soon as she could and turned her back to her, curving her body into her sleep position. 

"God, I'm bushed…" she said. "Mom made me move the flower pots…" And she lay there quietly, ready for sleep. 

"Sammy!" Brooke wailed 

Sam laughed and turned to her, her arms open. 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 14 ]

* * *

Sam made her way down to the kitchen and found Brooke standing near the dining table. It was already set up for dinner tonight. Brooke sensed her presence and turned. 

"Hey you…" she said with a cheerful optimistic smile which deceived Sam for about two seconds. 

Drawing her into her arms, Sam cupped her chin and gazed into her eyes. "We're not going to face a firing squad, Brooke… We're only going to face our friends…" 

"Well, I'm sure that your friends would be okay when we tell them…" Brooke said as she began twirling Sam's hair between her fingers. "It's my friends I'm worried about…" 

The kiss Sam gave her was gently reassuring. "It'll be alright…" she said. 

Brooke nodded. "Come, I'll show you what I made for dinner…" 

Sam didn't say anything as she went through the various complicated looking dishes. Brooke was halfway through explaining about the fritti when she realized that not only Sam wasn't responding, she wasn't even looking at the dishes. 

"Well, what do you think?" She jammed her hands into the back pocket of her designer jeans, a slight tinge of annoyance in her gaze. 

With a spark of amusement in the brown eyes, it traveled leisurely from the top of her bright head, lingered meaningfully on her lips and the thrusting fullness of her breast, then faithfully followed the graceful curving lines of her waist, hips and thighs, drifted down her long shapely legs, stopped at her sandal shod feet, then swept upward and returned to her face. 

"I think…" Sam said with quiet solemnity. "That your smile could light the darkness, and when you laugh it is like music, I think your hair is like heavy silk shining in the sunlight…" 

Caught off guard, Brooke felt the heat rising to her cheeks and she blushed furiously. 

"I think you have the most beautiful eyes that I have ever seen, and I like the way they sparkle when you are happy, darken with desire when you are in my arms…" 

Sam broke into a wicked grin as she glanced again at Brooke's breasts, which were emphasized by her unconsciously provocative stance with her hands in her back pocket. 

"And I like the way you look in those pants you're wearing. But if you don't take your hands out of your pocket, I am going to take you up to my room so that I can put my hands in them too…" 

Brooke slowly pulled her hands free, trying to surface from the sensuous spell Sam had seemed to cast over her with just a few words. 

"I meant…" She said in a husky voice. "About the food…" 

"Absolutely delicious…" Sam said. "Just like you…" 

And food was the last thing on their mind as they sought each other's lips. 

*******************************

"Guys…" Sam got up from her seat. "Brooke and I have an announcement to make…" 

Five heads turned to them. Sam went to Brooke's seat and held out her hand to her.

"We…" Sam started "…are now officially a couple…" 

"A couple of what?" Mary Cherry asked innocently. 

"A dating couple, Mary Cherry…" Brooke said. "Sam and I are dating…" 

A few moments passed and a heavy thud finally broke the silence. They all turned to Mary Cherry who had fallen off her seat, in a fainting spell. 

That seemed to shake everyone out of reverie and they began to talk all at once. 

"That's great!" 

"Congratulations!" 

"We're so happy for you!" Carmen gave the two a bear hug. Sam and Brooke beamed. 

"Thanks you guys…" Brooke said. 

"She was worried that you guys were going to freak…" Sam said. 

"What? Why would we freak out? I think you guys are the cutest couple ever!" 

"There are only us girls here…" Lily said. "What about the boys and your parents?" 

"We hadn't decide when to tell them…" Sam said. 

"We don't know what to say to them actually…" 

"Well… I'll say one thing…" Dean said. "It's about time!" she chuckled. "From now on, we don't have to see Sam looking like she had swallowed one too many Pepto Bismal anymore…" 

Sam looked at her in horror. "I never looked like such!" 

"Oh, yes you do…" Carmen said. "Every time when you watch Brooke from a far… You had this pained look – that I had always thought it was hate but now, I realized you're just pining for Brooke!" 

Sam stuck her tongue out at her. Brooke burst out laughing. 

*******************************

"Nic…" 

Nicole looked up to see Brooke standing in front of her. "Hey…" 

"You've been awfully quiet…" Brooke said sitting down beside her on the chaise lounge. "Are you okay?" 

"My best friend just came out of the closet…" Nicole clipped. "How the hell do you think I feel?" 

"Nicky…" 

"Hey, no sweat… I'm not homophobic…" Nicole said staring down at the amber liquid swirling in her glass. "I just… I can't believe that of all the things that you would have sacrificed your popularity for, it was for Spam…" 

"You know that I had never been comfortable with all the popularity hype from the start Nic…" 

"I know…" 

Brooke was alarmed at the quiet reserve Nicole seemed to be in. The only time she was quiet was when she was contemplating world domination… 

"I love Sam…" 

Nicole shuddered. "You're making my hair stand on end…" 

Brooke laughed. "Are you okay with it?" 

Nicole sighed. "Although I really think that you're crazy and you certainly need a lesson in choosing your life partners… I can see that you're happy and – believe it or not, I have always wanted you to be happy…" 

Brooke smiled. 

"And if the thing that makes you happy takes the form of Spam McFearsome over there…" Nicole shot a scowl at Sam's direction. "Then, so be it…" 

"Oh, Nicky!" Brooke hugged her fiercely. "You don't know how much that means to me…" 

"Just don't expect me to be nice to her…" 

"Nicky…" 

"Hey, there are certain lines that I don't wanna cross…" Nicole held up her hands. "And one of them is lowering myself to those… those over there…" she indicated with a curt nod. "And don't expect me to start sitting with them at the cafeteria cause I won't!" 

Brooke sighed. _Hmm, so much for wishful thinking…_

Sam smiled at the sight of her lover. She still couldn't believe that Brooke loved her, that they shared the same burning passion for each other. Then, she noticed Dean standing far away from the rest of the gang, a solitary figure leaning against the fence that surrounded the backyard, staring into the distance. Suddenly, Sam realized that she was staring in Nicole's direction. 

*******************************

"I still think you should have fight for her…" 

Dean turned to find Sam standing beside her. She straightened up. 

"Nice party…" 

"That wasn't what I was talking about…" Sam said. 

Dean downed the rest of her Scotch and flinched at the fiery taste. "Tough…" 

"Are you purposely trying to be thick?" 

"Sorry…" Dean mumbled. "I'm not much in the talking mood…" 

"Why can't you just drop this crap and go tell her how you really feel…" 

"I did…" Dean said quietly. "And she looked at me as if I had koodis…" 

"I don't understand why you're doing this…" 

"We were wrong for each other, Sam… we were not supposed to be together right from the start… " 

"She loved you, Dean… I'm positive about that…" 

"You're wrong…" Dean's expression grew dark. "I don't know why she was drawn to me… I had no idea what reasons she was giving herself for doing so… But love was not what it was 

Sam sighed. 

"Hey, cheer up…" Dean said, pinching Sam's nose playfully. "No need to go all broody on my account… I've perfected that art even before Angel came to town…" 

"I just hope that you and Nicole…" 

"There is no me and Nicole… Never was, never will…" 

*******************************

"I'll see you tomorrow at school…" 

Nicole tried not to turn at the sound of the achingly familiar voice. Ever since that day when they had the talk, Dean kept true to her words and avoided any contact with her. In the occasion that they did come across each other, in class or in the hall, she would just ignore her presence. On more than one occasion, she had blatantly made a U-turn and went the other way around when she caught sight of Nicole. 

She closed her eyes, trying not to think. But in doing so, images started to flash at the back of her eyelids. She could still feel her hand caressing her with such tenderness, her mouth hungry and urgent on hers. No man alive had ever made her body come to life like that, and she doubted that anyone else ever would. It felt so natural to be with her, to make love to her. 

_Why? _

Why would she be feeling this way? Could the answer be in that strange feeling she sometimes get by watching her smile or laugh… or just her, sitting alone in the library, eyebrows nearly touching as she stared at her Algebra homework. Or that warm feeling she get whenever she watched her deep in her sleep… 

Is this what love feels like? There was nothing that could describe this feeling that was both floating and grounded, fragile and resilient. 

At that thought, Nicole's logical mind instantly went to battle with her emotions. If she was foolish enough to fall in love with the dark haired girl, she would have to kiss her popularity goodbye. 

_Am I willing to do that?_

"Hey …" 

She turned to find Sam standing at the kitchen entrance. No sight of Dean. She wiped her hands at the back of her jeans and returned Sam's gaze with her own unruffled one. 

"I'm not even going to pretend I'm beginning to like you…" 

Sam rolled her eyes at the statement. "God forbid if that should happen…" 

Nicole started to walk out when Sam stepped in front of her. 

"Can we talk?" 

"I have absolutely nothing…" 

"It's about Dean…" 

Intense blue eyes snapped up to her. Sam held her gaze. 

"What about her?" 

"Why are you doing this to her?" 

"What?" Nicole responded. "Why am _I_ doing this to _her_?" 

"Yes, why are you agreeing to whatever nonsense that she thought up? I know you love her, Nicole…" 

Nicole turned away from Sam. "Just because you're dating my best friend doesn't give you the right to pry into my life…" she said. Then she spun around sharply. "And I certainly am not in love with that dyke…" 

"Your eyes are telling me something completely different…" 

"Who died and made you the expert?" 

Sam sighed, a bit sad at where this conversation is heading. "Why couldn't you just admit how you feel?" 

"And watch my whole life goes down the drain?" Nicole snapped. "Brooke maybe stupid enough to forgo her popularity…" 

"But not you… You live for popularity…" 

"Every minute until my dying day…" 

Sam shook her head slowly. "Sometimes I wonder if you even have a heart, Nicole…" 

"Oh, I have a heart…" Nicole said. "One that is set on the path of greatness and fame… I will not let a little thing called Dean McLeod ruin it for me…" 

Suddenly feeling very angry and frustrated, Sam marched right up to the shorter blond. 

"Need I remind you Satan, that you were the one who pursued her in the first place… that you were the one who had to go and push her buttons when you clearly know what were the consequences… Who showed up in front of her doorstep practically begging to be fucked?" 

"Hey!" 

"Don't you 'hey' me…! I've had enough of your crap…" Sam said. "Of Dean's crap come to think of it…" 

"Sam? Nicole?" 

Brooke appeared. She paused at the hostility emanating from the room. 

"Is everything okay?" She asked, worried. 

"Everything is just peachy, B!" Nicole said forcing a smile. Then she turned back to Sam. "You break her heart…" she indicated to Brooke with a curt nod. "And I'll break your face…" 

With that, she marched out. 

"What was that all about?" Brooke asked. 

Sam threw her arms up in defeat. 

* * *

To be continued

* * *


	15. Final

* * *

Say Cheese 2.0 -[ Part 15 ]

* * *

The crystal chandeliers of the Clubhouse dance floor cast a sparkly, silver light on the elegantly dressed partygoers below. Fellow club members, always well dressed, had outdone themselves tonight. They were a sea of designer gowns, sequins, and strapless sheaths exposing polished shoulders and long necks. Their dates no less dazzling, wore tuxedos or tastefully somber suits with silk ties. 

Nicole stared down at the throngs of people. She could hear the band playing, its beat traveling on the night air. The buzz of conversation, constantly punctuated with laughter filled the air. 

Then she saw her standing at the foot of the stairs. Her usual equipment bag parked at her feet and her camera slung on her shoulder. Nicole couldn't help but grin. She felt Kevin took her hand and guided her down. 

Nicole waited in annoyance for the dark head to look up. She didn't know she would be here but now that she does – even if it was only to take pictures, the night seemed to have turned to magic, a night filled with the scent of flowers, of twinkling chandeliers and glorious music. 

She finally looked up as she heard them approaching, and the joy that poured into Nicole's heart was unimaginable. She looked, turned away, then, as the realization hit her, she turned again. 

Her gaze moved with glinting admiration over her vivid features, over her shining hair fashioned in intricate sophistication then froze for a moment at the tantalizing display of her creamy breast swelling above the neckline of her velvet sheath gown before sweeping over the straight skirt, which was slashed at the side from knee to heel. 

But all that was gone when Kevin, the spic that he is dumped both their coats into Dean's arms. 

"Take care of this will you…" 

A look of surprise then annoyance flashed across her face but she didn't say anything. 

"Why did you do that?" Nicole hissed when they were seated at their table. 

"Did what?" Kevin asked, puzzled. 

"She's the photographer not an attendant!" 

"So?" Kevin arched an eyebrow at her, bewildered at her sudden outburst. "She's still 'the hired help' right?" 

Nicole clamped down furiously. What the hell did she see in this guy in the first place? Okay, he was a definite hunk – at least six feet tall, broad shouldered and athletically muscular. He seemed surrounded by an aura of wealth and power, which had attracted her more than anything else about him but now, she found herself wanting to chunk the nearest punch bowl on his head. 

"You know, Nicole…" Kevin took her hand in hers. "I was beginning to think that you're avoiding me when after our last date, you didn't return my calls…" 

"I've been busy…" Nicole fought hard not to flinch at his touch. She flashed what she hoped was a smile and not 'you're-a-boring-sod' smirk. 

"You know, with cheerleading practice and exams and stuffs…" 

"Maybe I should come and see you in action one of these days…" He began to stroke her palm with his index finger. 

She felt like screaming. 

"Have I told you, you look beautiful tonight…?" He said 

He paused to flick an interested glance over her slender, curving figure. He took in everything about her, from the golden curls, to the cool blue eyes regarding him beneath long curling lashes and delicate arched brows. Her cheeks were elegantly curved and as he continued to survey her, her creamy complexion took on a becoming tint of pale rose. 

"_Very_ beautiful…" he amended unaware of the reason for her heightening color was irritation not pleasure. 

Although Nicole resented him for looking at her as if he had paid for the privilege, she could not really blame him. After all, she was here wasn't she? And like he said, she was the one who returned his call and agreed to come. 

Why exactly…? Well, maybe because she wanted to grasp back her former life. The life that she was living quite happily before that fateful arrival of Deanna McLeod in it, before her perfect life turned topsy-turvy that she couldn't even tell which way was up and which way was down. And she was failing miserably at mending it all… 

_I need a drink - A really, really strong one… _

With shaking fingers, Dean ripped open a yellow box of film and fumbled with it as she tried to load it in the camera. 

_Damn! _

What was wrong with her? She'd promised herself not to be affected by her a million times over and she was pretty confident she had put a lid on the issue of Nicole Julian tightly on. So why did she still felt so happy at the sight of her? Why did she still have this warm feeling flowing in her veins at the sight of her smooth, white throat delicately arched as she tilted her head back? Why did she have this absurd impulse to smash her date's face for holding her hand? 

She vaguely remembered the guy as the same one who offered her money the other night. He looked like one of those frat boys who owned the world. The kind the kind of men who were so high on the social totem pole that every line of his body was emanating wealth, power and prestige. 

_Perfect match…_

Looking down at the dance floor, she watched as Nicole danced with Kevin. Both her arms were around his neck. Her body swaying sensuously against his. Whatever she was saying to him certainly must have been amusing, because Kevin, who had been grinning down at her suddenly threw his head back and burst out laughing. Suddenly, she found the blue eyes looking up straight at her… 

Kevin wasn't a bad dancer but Nicole found her eyes wandering. She had surreptitiously tilted her head upward so that she had a clear view over Kevin's shoulder. She finally found her standing at the top of the stairs – looking down at her. 

Their gazes held. 

  
_What can I do, to make it right?   
Falling so hard so fast this time   
What did I say, what did you do?   
How did I fall in love with you?_

It was Nicole who broke the eye contact. 

And the corner of Dean's mouth curved into a defeated smile. 

* * *

-The End - 

* * *

  
Citation: 

**How Did I Fall In Love With You**  
[Backstreet Boys; Lyrics: Howie Dorough/ Calium MacColl/Andrew Fromm, Zomba Enterprise Inc./Howie Dorough Music] 


End file.
